Why Are Reflctive Road Studs Being Removed?

Reflective road studs are a simple and effective road installation device. They are small in size but powerful in function. We can see reflective road studs on various roads, such as urban roads, highways, and winding mountain roads. When there is no light, they hide quietly in the dark. When a car approaches and the headlights are projected onto the reflective surface of the road stud reflectors, the reflective road studs will reflect the light back into the driver’s visual range, improving visibility and driving safety. But sometimes we find that the reflective road studs on some roads are removed. Why is this?

After long-term use, the reflective road studs have been exposed to wind, sun, and vehicle rolling for a long time. These may cause the reflective road studs to be damaged or aged, and the reflective materials to wear, loosen, or fall off, lose the original reflective effect, and even become road obstacles, affecting the beauty and safety of the road. If this happens, the management department will choose to remove the damaged road stud reflectors and replace them with new safety facilities when necessary.

Reflective road studs can easily become slippery when wet or icy, which may cause motorcycles or bicycles to lose control, causing risks and affecting travel safety. Some drivers and passengers also reported that when driving through sections of roads with rows of reflective road studs installed, it would cause bumps and affect the driving experience. If the traffic control department receives such feedback, they will re-evaluate the necessity of installing road stud reflectors and may remove the reflective road studs that have been installed.

When repairing, expanding, or repaving roads, the reflective road studs on the original roads need to be removed to facilitate new planning and construction. If the road design changes, such as lane division or additional lanes, the position of the reflective road studs needs to be adjusted to avoid misleading the route caused by the original road studs.

Before the emergence of more efficient road safety facilities, the role of reflective road markers was unquestionable. Even with new facilities, reflective road studs still have great cost and maintenance advantages on some specific occasions. However, if there are areas with complex road conditions, brighter and more visible road safety facilities are needed, such as solar road studs or electronic warning sign lights. The original reflective road studs may be removed.

In areas with heavier vehicles, reflective road studs are more likely to be crushed and damaged, so you can install road studs on the edge of the lane, the dividing line, or on both sides of the road instead of the main lane to reduce the risk of damage. In addition, reflective road markers must be installed on sections that urgently need reminders, such as bends, slopes, or areas with poor visibility. Select sections with higher safety requirements to avoid unnecessary installation, removal, and waste.

Before installing reflective road studs, you must strictly follow the installation requirements and standards of the local traffic control department to plan and ensure that the reflective road markers you install are officially approved before installation to avoid the forced removal of reflective road studs due to non-compliance.

When installing reflective road studs, the more, the better, especially in sections close to residential areas. If the reflective road studs are installed too densely, when cars pass by the reflective pavement studs, the vibration and sound may cause noise pollution and affect the normal rest of residents. Therefore, when installing reflective road studs, reasonable planning should be carried out, and the key sections should be installed in appropriate quantities. It is not advisable to arrange them densely to avoid causing a visual burden to drivers and reduce light pollution and noise problems.

Strengthen publicity to let drivers and residents know the positive role of reflective pavement studs. The role of reflective road studs in improving night driving safety cannot be ignored, reducing misunderstandings caused by insufficient public awareness and avoiding the removal of normally used road studs.

Whether installing or removing reflective road studs, the original intention of the road traffic management department is to improve everyone’s travel experience and increase the safety of night travel. Reflective road makers are low-cost and can achieve zero pollution and zero emissions during use, which is in line with the concept of sustainable development. They also require almost no maintenance. On sections of roads that require large-scale installation of road safety facilities, reflective pavement studs have a very obvious competitive advantage. Of course, if the existence of reflective road studs brings inconvenience to people, they also need to be removed after careful evaluation.