Pavement marking removal
Pavement marking removal
(OP)
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?
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





RE: Pavement marking removal
RE: Pavement marking removal
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
RE: Pavement marking removal
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.
RE: Pavement marking removal
RE: Pavement marking removal
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
RE: Pavement marking removal