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Pavement markings and stripingPavement markings and striping rough-in inspection checklist
Pavement markings and striping rough-in is the last time the work is fully visible. Once the cover inspection passes and the walls, ceilings and slabs close, every defect left behind becomes a demolition bill. This checklist walks the rough-in in the order the work goes in, with the photo each item needs before it gets buried. Work is commonly verified against the applicable accessibility standards and the project specifications. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo evidence it needs
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Work the list here and watch the gate hold, or load it into RTI and let it enforce the real thing.
Work zone
Work area closed off as the traffic control plan shows
Cones, barricades, signs and flaggers in place for this phase, or entries coned off on a lot not yet open; photos taken from inside the work zone, never the open lane.
Pedestrian and entrance access kept open around the striping
Open building entrances and walking routes detoured or kept clear as the traffic control plan shows, so no one walks through wet material.
No photo
Layout
Layout measured against the striping plan
Stall widths, aisle widths, counts and locations chalked out and measured against the plan, not eyeballed off existing marks.
Masking and stencils positioned
Masking for straight edges and stencils for symbols and legends placed and squared before application.
Accessible stalls chalked where the accessibility plan puts them
Accessible and van-accessible stalls, access aisles and the route to the entrance laid out in the count and locations the accessibility plan shows.
Color for each marking type confirmed before loading
Colors for stall lines, accessible stalls and aisles, fire lanes, crosswalks and curbs taken from the striping plan and specification, not from habit.
No photoConflicting old markings removed, not blacked out
Where existing lines conflict with the new layout, removal by grinding or blasting as the specification allows, not covered with black paint that wears through.
No photo
Surface condition
Surface clean, dry and cured
Pavement swept free of dust and debris, dry, and cured enough for the material, with no oil or curing-compound film.
Concrete and sealcoated areas prepared for bond
On concrete or sealcoat, laitance and curing compound removed, sealcoat past its cure time, and primer applied where the marking manufacturer requires it.
No photo
Material and conditions
Temperature and material suitability confirmed
Air and surface temperature within the range for the paint or thermoplastic being used, per the manufacturer's published instructions.
Marking material labels match the approved submittal
Paint pails or thermoplastic bags and the glass bead bags checked against the approved submittal for product, color and batch.
Target application thickness known and gauge on hand
Wet-film or dry thickness from the manufacturer's data or the specification written down, with the gauge on the truck before the first pass.
No photoTest stripe run to set width, thickness and bead drop
Striper run on a test area first and the line width, film thickness and bead coverage checked before the machine moves onto the lot.
Forecast clear of rain and dew through the dry time
No rain, heavy dew or temperature drop expected within the manufacturer's dry time; application stopped if conditions change mid-shift.
No photo
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Stalls laid out off a dimension that fits the striper's roll rather than the striping plan, so the count and accessible stalls end up wrong.
- Paint applied on green or damp asphalt and lifting within weeks because the surface was never confirmed cured and dry.
- Thermoplastic put down below its application temperature so it never bonds, then peels in sheets.
Common questions
6 answers
- What does this pavement markings and striping rough-in checklist cover?
- 14 items across 4 sections, covering work zone, layout, surface condition, material and conditions. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The GC's superintendent with the striping foreman, walking the layout before any material goes down.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- After layout is chalked and before application, when the surface is clean, dry and cured and conditions suit the material, because a mislaid or badly bonded stripe means grinding it off and starting over.
- Why do these items ask for a photo?
- 8 of the 14 items call for photo evidence, 10 photos in all. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a pavement markings and striping rough-in inspection?
- Stalls laid out off a dimension that fits the striper's roll rather than the striping plan, so the count and accessible stalls end up wrong. Paint applied on green or damp asphalt and lifting within weeks because the surface was never confirmed cured and dry. Thermoplastic put down below its application temperature so it never bonds, then peels in sheets.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident audit trail.
Related checklists
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 10 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper evident record behind every line.
See all 508 checklists · 6741 items and 5984 photo requirements in total.