Guideline for Selecting Materials and Standard Special Provisions for Traffic Striping and Pavement Marking - Version 3.0

Oct 23, 2026

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Guideline for Selecting Materials and Standard Special Provisions for Traffic Striping and Pavement Marking (Version 3.0) supports highway project designers in choosing traffic striping and pavement marking materials for contract language and specifications. It summarizes permanent and temporary pavement delineation materials, outlines removal of existing yellow stripes and markings, and provides standards plans and contract cost data for delineation items. The document includes selection flowcharts, additional resources, photographic examples, and references, while emphasizing durability and consultation with the district traffic engineer.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

1.0 INTRODUCTION

2.0 SUMMARY OF MATERIALS FOR PERMANENT PAVEMENT DELINEATION

2.1. SUMMARY OF TEMPORARY PAVEMENT DELINEATION (FOR USE DURING CONSTRUCTION)

2.2. SUMMARY OF REMOVAL OF EXISTING YELLOW TRAFFIC STRIPES AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS

3.0 STANDARDS PLANS FOR PAVEMENT DELINEATION

4.0 CONTRACT COST DATA FOR PAVEMENT DELINEATION ITEMS

5.0 PAVEMENT DELINEATION SELECTION GUIDE

6.0 OTHER RESOURCES

7.0 REFERENCES

GUIDELINE FOR SELECTING MATERIALS AND STANDARD SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR TRAFFIC STRIPING AND PAVEMENT MARKING Version 3.0 State of California Department of Transportation Division of Engineering Services Materials Engineering and Testing Services Office of Roadway Materials Testing 5900 Folsom Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95819 ABSTRACT This Guideline provides information on the selection of traffic striping and pavement marking materials for use in highway construction contracts. It is intended to aid the project designer in selecting proper contract language and materials for traffic striping/marking work. Abbreviations are defined in Section 1 of the Standard Specifications. This Guideline is broken down into the following categories: • Summary of specifications for traffic striping/pavement marking work. • Contract cost data for traffic striping bid items. • Flowcharts for selecting suitable traffic striping materials. • Links to additional resources/information about traffic striping (material specifications, inspection guides, troubleshooting, etc. ) . • Photographic examples of optional traffic striping treatments. DISCLAIMER This Guideline was prepared by the California Department of Transportation, Division of Engineering Services, Materials Engineering and Testing Services, Office of Roadway Materials and Testing. The contents of this Guideline reflect the view and experience of the author, who is responsible for the facts and accuracy of the information presented herein. Note that the contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the State of California or the Federal Highway Administration. This Guideline does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Comments on this Guideline should be directed to: Lisa Dobeck, Senior Chemical Testing Engineer Chemical Testing Branch Via e-mail <[lisa.dobeck@dot.ca.gov](lisa.dobeck@dot.ca.gov)> Via US mail California Department of Transportation Materials Engineering and Testing Services Office of Roadway Materials Testing Chemical Testing Branch 5900 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95819 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 2.0 SUMMARY OF MATERIALS FOR PERMANENT PAVEMENT DELINEATION ............. 1 2.1. SUMMARY OF TEMPORARY PAVEMENT DELINEATION (FOR USE DURING CONSTRUCTION) ....................................................................................................... 3 2.2. SUMMARY OF REMOVAL OF EXISTING YELLOW TRAFFIC STRIPES AND PAVEMENT MARKINGS ............................................................................................. 4 3.0 STANDARDS PLANS FOR PAVEMENT DELINEATION............................................... 5 4.0 CONTRACT COST DATA FOR PAVEMENT DELINEATION ITEMS ............................ 6 5.0 PAVEMENT DELINEATION SELECTION GUIDE ......................................................... 7 6.0 OTHER RESOURCES.................................................................................................. 14 7.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 15 1.0 INTRODUCTION Traffic stripes and pavement markings have been identified as one of the most cost-effective means of improving highway safety, yet account for only about two percent of the construction cost on a typical California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) roadway contract.i, ii It is important to give traffic striping/marking material selection its due attention in the design phase of a project to ensure that durable striping materials are utilized. This Guideline was created to aid project designers in the selection of suitable traffic striping materials and specifications in the form of SSPs for use in traffic striping/pavement marking work. It also provides links to additional resources on to

FAQs

What is the purpose of this guideline for traffic striping and pavement marking?

It provides information for selecting traffic striping and pavement marking materials for highway construction contract use, supporting project designers in choosing appropriate contract language and specifications.

How does the guideline address durable striping material selection?

It emphasizes giving traffic striping/marking material selection due attention during the design phase to ensure durable materials, including guidance on material application thickness and suitability for specific pavement types.

Who should be consulted for questions or nonstandard pavement delineation treatments?

The district traffic engineer should be consulted for questions, and nonstandard or experimental pavement delineation treatments require district traffic engineer approval.

Oct 23, 2026

Upload by Ben