YELLOW PAVEMENT MARKINGS WITH YELLOW NIGHTTIME COLOR

Human observers were used to assess the apparent nighttime color of a range of pavement marking products. A total of 24 different materials were viewed at night from an automobile using low-beam illumination with vehicle-to-target distances ranging from 12 to 36 m. The samples were viewed as isolated center lane lines with a parallel white edge line in place for all viewings. Observers rated the color on a scale of 1 to 5 from white to yellow. The results showed significant color differences between pavement marking materials. At shorter distances, more of the materials appeared yellow than at longer distances. At longer distances observer ratings showed greater separation of color distinction between the materials. Retroreflective color was measured at geometries corresponding to 12 and 36 m. Brightness did not appear to correlate with color. Color measurements for the different distances also showed the dependence of color on test conditions. Measured colors with a higher color saturation were reported by observers to have a more yellow appearance. Daytime and nighttime color are not the same. Some yellow pavement markings having acceptable daytime color were white in retroreflective color. Different "yellow" products can have varying nighttime color performance. The feasibility of specifying nighttime color using instrumental methods that can correlate with the human visual experience is demonstrated.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1995/1495/1495-017.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=YELLOW+PAVEMENT+MARKINGS+WITH+YELLOW+NIGHTTIME+COLOR&author=G.+Jacobs&author=N.+Johnson&publication_year=1995
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309061601
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1495, Traffic Control Devices, Visibility, and Railroad Grade Crossings. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Jacobs, Gregory F
  • Johnson, Norbert L
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 147-155
• Monograph Title: Traffic control devices, visibility, and railroad grade crossings
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 1495
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Center lines; Color; Feasibility analysis; Night; Retroreflectivity; Road marking materials; Specifications; Whites; Yellow
• Old TRIS Terms: Traffic marking materials
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Operations and Traffic Management; I35: Miscellaneous Materials; I73: Traffic Control;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00714890
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309061601
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 12 1995 12:00AM