Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

MMA vs. Thermoplastic

  • By Karen Dinitz
  • 06/01/17

Schools and colleges have been looking for a long-term solution to pavement markings. MMA pavement marking is the most durable color marking material available and yet it is not widely known. It has been used in the United States and around the world for decades as line striping. MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) is now getting a lot of attention as color pavement marking is becoming increasingly common for bike lanes, bus lanes, crosswalks, pedestrian areas and other markings.

Unlike thermoplastic MMA does not require special equipment for installation, it is less expensive and can last five to 10 years or more depending on the vehicular usage. This makes it an ideal material for education facilities that can use their own personnel to apply it, and markings do not need to be redone every season. MMA also bonds to both asphalt and concrete surfaces. Concrete is a challenge for other marking materials.

Known for high durability, increased wetnight visibility, skid resistance and optimal color stability, MMA based area markings are commonly being used to apply bright red crosswalks. The contrasting colors of these crosswalks alert drivers and can significantly reduce the number of pedestrian injuries. MMA green bike lanes serve as a continuous reminder to drivers of the possibility of the presence of bicyclists as they merge or change lanes. Wayfinding and unique designs are also great uses for this durable material that can be made in custom colors.

Pavement markings are primarily a safety feature and can only be effective if they are visible. MMA is UV stable so the colors stay brighter longer than thermoplastic and it bonds to itself so it can be refreshed without full removal. MMA can also be applied in temperatures ranging from 40 to100 degrees F, extending the marking season in many regions.

MMA’s bright color and ability to customize color has made it the go to material for schools and college campuses where durability, aesthetics as well safety are part of campus maintenance priorities.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

About the Author

Karen Dinitz is with Color-Safe/Transpo Industries, Inc. She can be contacted at [email protected] and 800/321-7870.

Featured

  • New Jersey Day School Opens New Science & Entrepreneurship Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIG Architecture on the 32,000 square foot facility, completed on a 17-month construction timeline in time for the beginning of the new school year.

  • Auburn University Debuts $224M STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex

    Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., recently opened its new $224-million STEM + Agricultural Sciences Complex, the largest research construction project in the university’s history, according to university news. The facility measures more than 265,000 square feet and brings six departments from the College of Agriculture and College of Sciences and Mathematics together under one roof.

  • UPenn Announces Completion of New Veterinary Education Facility

    The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Penn., recently finished construction on an 11,800-square-foot veterinary education building, according to a news release. The Gail P. Riepe Center for Advanced Veterinary Education is the first dedicated classroom facility at the New Bolton Center, a large-animal hospital and campus about 35 miles west of the campus proper.

  • Photo courtesy of Kraus-Anderson

    Concordia College Completes Memorial Auditorium Renovations

    Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., recently completed a $2.5-million renovation project to Memorial Auditorium, a news release reports. The college partnered with Kraus-Anderson for the project’s construction and ICON Architectural Group for its design.