IS EN 1436 European Standard for Road Markings:

IS EN 1436 – Road Marking performance for road-users is an end performance specification concentrating on the needs of the driver. The standard specifies the various levels of performance that are approved for use in a contract specification, which will govern the required quality of the road marking. It also describes the methods of measuring the various performance characteristics. These IS EN standards have a number of levels of quality specified for several road marking characteristics.

The standard specifies the performance of white and yellow road markings based on luminance (colour), day-time visibility, night-time visibility and skid resistance combined with durability. These specifications also introduce the importance of wet-night visibility road markings. IS EN 1436 allows the Client to specify the performance needs of their road markings.

The tables in the specification allow the Client to choose the performance required from road markings, leaving the onus on the contractor to produce a marking to meet their needs.

Specifying Criteria for White Road Markings – IS EN 1436

Specifying Criteria for Yellow Road Markings – IS EN 1436

USA

MUTCD Section 3A.03: Maintaining Minimum Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (2009 MUTCD Revision 3, dated July 2022) specifies the mandatory minimum levels of retroreflectivity for pavement markings on all roads open to public travel in the United States. Road authorities must comply with these standards and have pavement marking maintenance plans in place by September 2026.

Summary of the rules:

• The minimum retroreflectivity of longitudinal pavement markings is 50 mcd/m2/lux on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or greater, where average annual daily traffic is 6,000 vehicles per day.
• The minimum retroreflectivity of longitudinal pavement markings is 100 mcd/m2/lux on roads with speed limits of 70 mph or greater.
• The FHWA has decided that this standard does not apply to other pavement markings such as center symbols, arrows, chevrons or words and that crosshatch markings, transverse markings and crosswalks are excluded from the minimum standard.

The methods for maintaining pavement markings are detailed in FHWA-SA-14-017 Methods for Maintaining Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity. These include visual inspections, measured retroreflectivity, expected service life replacement and blanket replacement.

ASTM E3320-21: Standard Test Method For Measurement Of Retroreflective Pavement Marking Materials Using A Mobile Retroreflectometer Unit (MRU)

This test method covers measurement of the retroreflective properties of horizontal pavement marking materials containing retroreflecting optics, such as traffic stripes and surface symbols, using a mobile retroreflectometer unit that can be operated at traffic speed, mounted on a vehicle to measure the retroreflection at a prescribed geometry.

ASTM E1710-18: Standard Test Method for Measurement of Retroreflective Pavement Marking Materials with CEN-Prescribed Geometry Using a Portable Retroreflectometer

This test method covers measurement of the retroreflective properties of horizontal pavement marking materials containing retroreflecting beads, such as traffic stripes and surface symbols, using a portable retroreflectometer that can be placed on the road delineation to measure the retroreflection at a prescribed geometry.