What is a test deck?
A test deck is a method used by the ministry of transportation to test new road marking paints to see if they have good visibility and durability. You may recall driving over a similar test deck along the QEW in Lincoln.
The MTO has tested road markings on highways for over 25 years and continues to upgrade standards as more information is available and new products are introduced by the industry. Multiple strips of paint are applied to the road. After initial testing is carried out, the markings are observed and reassessed for one or two seasons, depending on their intended lifespan. That allows the markings to be continuously exposed to traffic, salt, sand, snow, snowplows, abrasion, humidity, temperature changes and moisture. Paint markings on the test deck are evaluated on their colour, daytime luminance factor and retro-reflectivity — or night-time visibility.
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