Pavement marking removal

[ACtrafficengr]

What is the state of the practice for traffic paint removal?

The striping subcontractor placed a temporary paint centerline 3 feet to the side of where it is supposed to go. this is on top course pavement, and we want to minimize scarring of the pavement.

The sub wants to grind or abrade the erroneous markings, but our deputy commissioner thinks that, properly done, a water jet would do less damage to the pavement. The contractor says there is a very fine line between enough PSI to remove the paint, and enough PSI to damage the pavement.

Any thoughts or recommendations?



"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust

 

[TrafficDesigner]

Water blasting is what I have seen most recently. It's becoming pretty common around here.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

We ended up going with water blasting. I must admit I'm not convinced. If it is imperative that <u>all</u> of the marking material is removed, then it's the way to go. However, it also removed asphalt binder probably 1/4 inch into the pavement, leaving a porous surface that may be more vulnerable to freeze/thaw damage in wet winters.

It appears that mechanical methods can't remove all the marking paint that gets down into the voids without significant pavement damage, but if you'd be satisfied with removing enough that a reasonable driver wouldn't be confused, at least the pavement damage is confined to the surface, and after a few witners of carbide snowplow blades, would not be all that noticeable.

"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust

 

[TrafficDesigner]

That makes sense. I'm in the Desert so we don't have many days that is gets that cold. And it has snowed twice in the 20 years that I have lived here. It seems most of the agencies here going with water over sand for obliteration.

I observed the same thing that you did. It did a great job of removing the paint, but it also did a great job of removing the top layer of asphalt.

It's a pretty clean process and doesn't take very long to remove the paint.

 

[civilperson]

Paint out the offending lines with asphalt colored paint.

 

[ACtrafficengr]

civilperson, once the blackout paint starts to wear off, you're back where you started.

At night, the old marking will actually start to show through once the paint is worn off the tops of the reflector beads, before you would notice anything by daylight.

"...students of traffic are beginning to realize the false economy of mechanically controlled traffic, and hand work by trained officers will again prevail." - Wm. Phelps Eno, ca. 1928

"I'm searching for the questions, so my answers will make sense." - Stephen Brust

 

[Aldea]

There are a few companies who put this equipment together and all they care about is outdoing their competitors equipment without regard to the results. Things such as pressure, volumn, head rotation speed and travel speed are all factors that need to be considered in doing a removal job correctly. There is one company who has been manufacturing waterjetting marking removal a long time. They have taken the time to make sure that this is a viable process and one that will continue. So please dont form a bad impression without checking out all the companies. The company I am referring to teaches the operators what to look for and how to make adjustments accordingly to give the results you require. Now keep in mind that the surface integrity has alot to do with how much of it is removed. Asphalt is a tricky surface to do removal on. It can be done if the equipment is set up correctly. The super small fines in the asphalt will be removed if they are not bonded. I have seen where water removed makings off of rubberized asphalt and did not damage that surface at all. It took time to set up the equipment correctly but again it was done to the DOT satisfaction. The production rate was reduced because of the reduced water volumn however the surface was safe.