Evaluation of NJDOT Hardened Traffic Paint Markings and Stripes Performance

Status: Completed August 2025

Funding Agency: New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)

Abstract: 

Pavement markings guide drivers and support advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving technologies. Their effectiveness depends on visibility in daylight and darkness and in clear and adverse weather. Retroreflectivity is the standard metric for nighttime visibility, but it does not account for pavement background color, marking width, or observation conditions, and it says nothing about daytime performance. Weather, traffic volume, poor surface preparation, and inadequate drying time or thickness accelerate degradation, and some newly applied markings fail early. This study analyzed technical and performance data for a range of marking materials to identify those best suited to New Jersey conditions. The team assessed drying time, durability, and cost benefit, examined the role of temporary markings, and proposed alternative testing protocols and specifications for rapid deployment during supply chain disruptions. The results support changes to installation practice and maintenance strategy and address the visibility needs of human drivers and vehicle sensing systems.

Investigators: Dr. Mohammad Jalayer, PhD., Dr. Subasish Das, PhD. (Texas State University), Adam Pike, P.E. (Texas A&M Transportation Institute), Dr. Yusuf Mehta, PhD.

Links to Publications: 

https://njdottechtransfer.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/FHWA-NJ-2025-002.pdf