Mobile Pavement Marking Data Collection Made Safer

Item #: 20240058

CONTACTS

Implementing Organization: Central Maintenance
Champion: Abdul Wakil
Implementation Lead: Ian M. Beck,

www.beckenterprises.com

Phone: 651-755-8753

Email: ian@beckenterprises.com

Development Team:

Abdul Wakil-Champion, UDOT Central Maintenance

Benjamin Kelly- Support, UDOT IMT

Ian Beck, Beck Enterprises

Article Written By: Abdul Wakil
Innovation Team Coordinator: Winston

STATUS

Implementation Date: May 19, 2024
Adoption Status: Fully Implemented
Adoptability Note: This method is both safer and collects more data. Where else could this approach be used?

APPLIES TO

Topic: Data Collection, Analysis and Visualization
Organization(s): Central Maintenance / Facilities Management, Data Technology & Analytics, Equipment Operations, Performance and Asset Management, Region 1, Region 2, Region 3, Region 4, Right of Way, Risk Management, Strategic Technologies, Traffic and Safety, Traffic Management Division
Job Role(s): Information Specialist, Roadway Operations / IMT
Tags: Highway transportation, capital productivity, infrastructure preservation, labor costs, supplies, occupational safety, crashes, injuries, Spark, information technology, software, networks, risk management, insurance, ATOM, digital twin, data science, asset management, highway operations, traffic operations, inspection, maintenance, testing > samples, sampling, traffic safety, highway safety, trucking safety, transit safety, vehicle safety, paint, user benefits

PROBLEM

Previous methods of data collection on wet pavement marking reflectivity was very dangerous. UDOT and contractor personnel were exposed to high traffic volume, poor lighting conditions, and high vehicle speeds while working on foot to collect data on roadways. The risk of being struck and injured was very high.

In addition, the previous method was time consuming and required the closing of a lane of traffic. The cost of setting up traffic control, involving Utah Highway Patrol, and impacts to travelers were also concerns.

CHANGE

A new mobile testing method allows for the collection of data of wet reflectivity of markings using two moving vehicles. The vehicle in front is equipped with water sprayers to wet the pavement markings. The second vehicle, equipped with sensors to measure reflectivity, follows immediately behind. The paired vehicles can travel of a speed of 50 mph while conducting the data collection, and can complete about 250 miles of collection per day. No lane closure or Utah Highway Patrol assistance is needed.

RESULT

The most significant benefit of this collection method is the improvement in safety. UDOT and contractors are able to work inside vehicles and are no longer exposed to the hazards of being on the ground next to high speed traffic.

Another notable benefit of the mobile collection is the increase in data that can be collected. Instead of testing four small spots in each of the five testing zones, UDOT is sampling the entire 1,000 foot segment on each line type through the testing zones. This yields roughly 1.9 million data points for each test section rather than one small area. This allows for a more thorough analysis of pavement markings.

Finally, there is a cost reduction in personnel time, traffic control set-up and removal, and Highway Patrol time. Not needing to close a lane of traffic reduces negative impacts to the traveling public.