Highly Reflective Pavement Markers Boost Safety in Inclement Weather
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Highly Reflective Pavement Markers Boost Safety in Inclement Weather
Valtir News | Oct 2019
Another snowy winter is anticipated for many regions across the United States, and highway agencies are looking for economical ways to help the traveling public safely navigate wet or snow-covered roadways.
Many, including the North Carolina Dept. of Transportation, have turned to Valtir’s Guide Lite, a lightweight, snowplowable, raised pavement marker tested by the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program
(NTPEP). Made of a durable plastic material with abrasion-resistant steel rub rails, Guide Lite weighs substantially less than similarly sized cast-iron markers. Each 9.5-in. x 5.7-in. marker weighs just 1.3 lbs. Installation in either asphalt or concrete is simple, using standard slot-cutting equipment and a two-part epoxy system.
Guide Lite’s raised design allows for continuous guidance in snowy or rainy weather. Other markers are installed in slots beneath the road surface and often fill with rain, snow, or ice, blocking the view of the reflective marker. However, the Guide Lite’s highly reflective lens is installed at the proper height above the road surface, thanks to integrated leveling tabs. The design is durable enough for snowplows and other road maintenance equipment to glide over.
In one test cycle in North Carolina after a significant amount of snowfall, the Guide Lite product showed no indication of de-bonding, and the tough composite material held up to a number of snowplowing activities. During subsequent repaving activities, crews simply ground up and removed the markers with the rest of the asphalt rather than pulling each one up individually, saving time and money during resurfacing.
Source: ENR magazine