Quantifying the Effectiveness of Performance-Based Pavement Marking Maintenance Contracts

Pavement markings play a vital role in the safe and efficient movement of traffic. In 2010, FHWA began the process of amending existing regulations and issued a notice of proposed amendments to adopt minimum pavement marking retroreflectivity levels. Performance-based pavement marking maintenance contracts (PBPMMCs) are one of the latest mechanisms used to maintain adequate pavement marking performance levels. The Texas Department of Transportation has issued two PBPMMCs, but the effectiveness of these contracts compared with other contracting mechanisms from a performance or safety perspective has not been investigated. This study quantified the effectiveness of PBPMMCs by evaluating the delivered pavement marking performance and safety performance. When compared with other contracting mechanisms, the evaluations found inconclusive evidence as to the benefit of the PBPMMC from a safety and marking performance standpoint. The results are inconclusive perhaps because the markings were maintained adequately before the PBPMMC or because the PBPMMC did not provide a significant improvement in the marking systems.