Georgia Tech joins the dots

Georgia Tech researchers have developed a safer automated system for installing the ‘cats-eyes’ type small, reflective markers that make road lanes more visible.

These safety devices, called raised pavement markers (RPMs), need to be replaced about every two years by road crews who consider the task one of the riskiest they face. Workers typically ride on a seat cantilevered off the side of a trailer just centimetres from road traffic.

Manual RPM placement is not only risky for personnel, but it is also expensive and time-consuming. A typical RPM placement operation includes four vehicles and a six-person crew. All the vehicles must stop at each marker location, so there is tremendous wear on the equipment and increased fuel use.

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) funded the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) to develop a system capable of automatically placing RPMs along the lane stripes while in motion. After three years of research and development, GTRI expects to deliver a prototype system early this year.