REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

AUCKLAND MOTORWAY LANE MARKING TRIAL

Carol Ma, NZ Transport Agency/Auckland Motorway Alliance

ABSTRACT
A Motorway lane marking trial was set up to investigate the practicality of removing
the continuous line from the lane marking in early 2014. This new configuration of
lane marking means significant savings from less marking renewal and network
efficiency improvement from less closures required for marking refurbishment.
The Auckland Motorway Alliance worked together with Dr. Hamish Mackie and
developed the survey questionnaire to capture the driver experience. A number of
driver surveys were conducted and the monitoring results suggest the new
configuration of lane marking is able to provide an adequate level of delineation and
safety.

REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

RATIONALE BEHIND THE TRIAL

Background
The current motorway lane marking consists of one Reflective Raised Pavement
Marker (RRPM) ahead of a 2.8m long high performance line with Audio Tactile Profiles
(ATPs) at 250mm centres. Retro-reflectivity of the line marking is measured from a
30 metre geometry which represents a driver observation angle of 2.29 as specified
in NZTA P30:2009. The RRPM at the head of each lane marking effectively hides 0.5m
of lane marking behind it as shown in Figure 1Error! Reference source not found..
Also each ATP hides 0.25m of lane marking behind it as shown in Figure 2. The
average heights of RRPM and ATP are 20mm and 10mm respectively.

Figure 1: Illustration of RRPM Hiding Lane Line

Figure 2: Illustration of ATP Hiding Lane Line

REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

Figure 3: Photograph of lane marking taken following 30 metre geometry

The theory of the lane line being obscured by ATP is substantiated in the field using
a camera set up at the same observation angle as the 30 metre geometry. As shown
in Figure 3 above, the lane line between ATPs is shaded from the vehicle headlights
by the RRPM and ATPs and provides no night time retro-reflectivity. Figure 4 below
shows the same lane marking from a top-down view, proving the line is still in a good
condition.

Figure 4: Photograph of lane marking taken from top-down view

REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

PROPOSED MARKING
Current lane marking configurations
Figure 5 below shows the dome lane marking which is superseded but still present
on Auckland motorways. This superseded lane marking consists of one RRPM with
three ceramic domes at 1m centres. This marking is being phased out through the
annual resurfacing programme.

Figure 5: Superseded Lane Marking (RRPM and Three Domes)

Figure 6 below shows a picture of the current Auckland motorways lane marking
configuration. This marking configuration consists of one RRPM and a 2.8m high
performance lane line with ATPs at 250mm centres.

Figure 6: Current Lane Marking (RRPM, Lane line and ATPs)

Proposed lane marking configuration

The lane marking configuration that was proposed for trial is a 3 metre long lane
marking comprising of a RRPM at the head of the marking and ATPs at 250mm centres
with no lane line. This is illustrated in Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference.
below.

Figure 7: Proposed Lane Marking (RRPM and ATPs)

There are similarities between the proposed ATP lane marking and the superseded
(domes) lane marking configurations because neither configuration has a lane line.
However, the proposed lane marking configuration has other benefits including extra
retroreflectivity from ATPs and better lane delineation due to the increased number
of ATPs per lane marking.

REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

THE TRIAL
Trial Layout
The new configuration of lane marking as shown in Figure 7 was installed on the trial
site at SH1 northbound between Tristram Ave and Sunnynook Road in late January
2014.
There are three lanes at this location, and when driving in the middle lane, the lane
marking to the left has a line between the ATPs and the lane marking to the right is
marked in the new configuration with no line. A photo of the trial site taken from the
middle lane during day time is shown below.

Figure 8: Day Time Photo of the Trial Site

Monitoring
The AMA worked with Dr. Hamish Mackie from Mackie Research and developed the
survey questions to capture the driver experience. A number of drivers (AMA staff
volunteers with no knowledge of the trial) were organised to drive over the trial site
with the new and the existing marking configurations side by side on a particular
night and they completed the survey immediately after the drive-over. At a later date,
two groups of drivers were requested to watch a couple of videos of a drivers
perspective when travelling through the trial site under various weather conditions
and then completed a second survey. The survey questions were designed to capture
the drivers experience with the effectiveness of lane delineation.
When the results from the two video surveys are combined, 89% of participants rated
the right lane marking (new configuration) equal to or better than the left lane
marking (existing configuration) both in terms of the delineation effectiveness and
safety. Distribution of results are shown in the two pie charts below.

REAAA, August 2015, Auckland.

Left Lane
better
11%
Right lane
better
16%

No difference
73%

Figure 9: Combined Results Distribution Level of Effectiveness

Left Lane
better
11%
Right lane
better
16%

No difference
73%

Figure 10: Combined Results Distribution Level of Safety

To summarize, the monitoring results collected suggest the new configuration of lane
marking is providing adequate level of delineation and safety.

CONCLUSION
To conclude, the lane marking trial has been implemented for over a year and the
monitoring results suggest the new marking configuration delivers the same level of
delineation effectiveness and safety as the existing marking configuration. No safety
or maintenance issues relating to the new configuration have been noted during the
trial period. In addition, it should be noted that Cold Applied Plastic ATP was used in
the trial.
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