YELLOW VS WHITE DEBATE GROWS OVER TRUE VALUE OF CENTERLINE MARKINGS

THERE IS A LACK OF RESEARCH TO SUPPORT THE USE OF YELLOW LINES TO DELINEATE THE SEPARATION OF TRAFFIC FLOWS IN OPPOSING DIRECTIONS. THE REFLECTIVITY OF WHITE PAINT IS 53 PERCENT HIGHER THAN YELLOW AND 107 PERCENT HIGHER AFTER EXPOSURE TO CHEMICAL AND WATER CONDITIONS. TESTS WITH A TELEPHOTOMETER UNDER TYPICAL HIGHWAY CONDITIONS SHOW THAT WHITE PAINT IS 1.6 TIMES BRIGHTER THAN YELLOW. THE DARKENING OF YELLOW LINES ON EXPOSURE TO SUNLIGHT (BASED ON THE PHOTOSENSITIVITY OF CHROMATE), AND THE FACT THAT THEY ARE ONE FIFTH AS VISIBLE AS WHITE LIGHT UNDER FOG CONDITIONS POINT TO NEED FOR REEVALUATION OF THE DECISION TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF CENTERLINES FROM WHITE TO YELLOW. IT IS ALSO CLAIMED THAT YELLOW TRAFFIC MARKING PAINTS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHITE PAINT. THE COST OF CHANGING THE STRIPING SYSTEM IS QUOTED. TO COMPENSATE FOR THE POOR REFLECTIVITY OF YELLOW LINES, IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO USE GLARE BEADS. THIS WOULD MEAN ADDITIONAL COSTS, AS WOULD ALSO THE USE OF THE OPTIONALLY PERMISSIBLE "NO-PASSING ZONE" PENNANT SIGN. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT ACQUITTAL OF VIOLATING MOTORISTS WHO CAN PLEAD LACK OF CLEAR VISIBILITY COULD LEAD TO INCREASED HAZARDS ON THE HIGHWAY.

• Corporate Authors:

  Dun Donnelley Publishing Corporation

  222 South Riverside Plaza
  Chicago, IL  United States  60606
• Publication Date: 1973-4

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 57-8
• Serial:
  • Rural and Urban Roads
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue Number: 4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Center lines; Hazards; Paint; Reflectorized materials; Road marking materials; Road markings; Visibility
• Old TRIS Terms: Acquittal; Reflectorization; Traffic marking; Traffic marking materials
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00226706
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1973 12:00AM