US20110164922A1

US20110164922A1 - Roadway marker and reflector guard

Info

Publication number: US20110164922A1
Application number: US12/652,074
Authority: US
Inventors: David Michael Moxlow; Chester Ellsworth Dietrick, III; Michael Anthony Colechio; Robert John Hopkins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-01-05
Filing date: 2010-01-05
Publication date: 2011-07-07

Abstract

A roadway marker is formed from a forged longitudinally extending unitary body having an upper surface and a bottom surface from which extent two rooting members in a direction away from the bottom surface, the upper surface of the elongated body respectively define inclined ramps each extending from a respective end of the longitudinally extending body to a centrally elevated bridging area, the ramps defining recesses in which is mounted reflective media. The rooting pins are secured in holes drilled at an acute angle in the pavement such that when the rooting pins are mounted into the holes drilled in the pavement after an adhesive has been placed in the holes, resilient clips mounted on the rooting pins create an interference fit with the wall of each of the two drilled holes to secure the roadway marker to the pavement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to road imbedded traffic lane markers located in or along a road or highway in such a manner that beams of light from headlights of an approaching vehicle will be reflected backwards to heighten the awareness of the vehicle's driver such that the center of a road or position of a driving lane is readily distinguishable to the driver and assists the driver in determining whether it is safe to pass a vehicle or to change from lane to adjacent lane.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
Traffic markers are installed in roadways for the purpose of providing positive visual delineation or identification of various traffic lanes particularly at night, and especially during rainy or foggy conditions. This is particularly true on roads with a dark surface, and on rainy nights when illuminations from headlights appear to be absorbed by the dark roadway. Although traffic lanes are generally defined by lines painted on the pavement, in wet weather, these lines can easily become imperceptible because of the deflection of the vehicles' headlight beams away from their source, rough road conditions, or the vehicle's driver unfamiliarity with the road traveled.
In order to eliminate these dangerous conditions, many road markers today incorporate reflectors with reflective surfaces mounted to project above the water residue covering the road surface. The reflective elements are generally accompanied by a metal road marker base that is permanently mounted with an adhesive in the road surface and encapsulates the plastic reflectors to protect them from damage due to the vehicles driving over the markers during normal driving conditions. The prior art pavement marker as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,447 is a typical example of an encapsulated reflector element within a metal road marker base. The base member includes a pair of spaced apart arcuate bottom keel portions which are mounted in grooves formed in the pavement. The upper surfaces of the keels define a pair of ramps for deflecting the snowplow blades from a plastic reflector. The reflector is mounted between the longitudinal ramps in a center portion of the casting extending between the keels. However, the reflector lenses of previously known markers have been damaged when the blade of a snowplow is angled sharply. When the blade is sharply angled, such as 45° to the axis of the road, the corner of the blade can pass between the ramps to damage the marker before the snowplow blade is deflected by the ramps.
Additionally, it has been difficult to accurately position prior art castings with respect to the road surface. If the casting is placed too low, the lens of the reflector element is obscured and there is insufficient light reflected from the lens to delineate the lane. If the casting extends too far above the road surface it becomes a hazard for vehicles passing over it and is more likely to be dislodged by the blades of the snowplow. Unfortunately, where snow falls commonly occur, these embedded markers can easily become hidden when snow starts building up on the roads. In the case of traffic markers in snow fall areas, the markers must be able to withstand the impact of snow removal equipment, as well as repeated impacts from vehicle tires, and at the same time, the markers must not unduly impede snow removal or produce excessive wear or damage to snowplow blades. The marker housing itself must be able to withstand impact, and the reflector should be protected to avoid separation from the housing which has been a problem in the prior art. Further, there must also be some means by which the reflective surfaces are kept relatively clean, so that the reflective properties are preserved. In the case of a vertical reflective surface, it is particularly difficult to accomplish since road debris tends to pile up and accumulate against a vertical surface. A reflective surface with an angled surface is to some extent cleaned by rainfall as well as by the action of vehicle wheels passing over it. However, on an angled surface, some light is reflected away from the source rather than back towards it, thereby reducing the intensity of the reflected signal and thus reducing the effectiveness of the reflector.
In some prior art traffic markers, cleaning is accomplished by wiping the reflective surfaces while the marker accomplishes a vertical receding movement, beneath the road surface. This retractable design allows the traffic marker to recede below the road surface as it is impacted by the vehicle wheel and rise from beneath the surface after impact. Clearly, such road markers are complicated in design and expensive to manufacture as well as economically prohibited from use by those municipalities where large quantities are required.
Several approaches have been taken in the prior art to provide resistance to damage by snowplows. For example, Stolarczyk et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,981,149 discloses a retractable highway marker wherein a casing box, is embedded in concrete and has a dome marker block projecting upward therefrom. The marker block is supported by a helical spring seated in the marker block. Reflectors are mounted to the dome marker block such that the dome marker block with reflectors recedes into the casing box as a vehicle passes thereover.
To provide adequate protection for the reflector element, more recent snowplowable pavement markers have proposed the use of a single metal housing incorporating a pair of side ramps having longitudinal flanges extending outwardly from each of the ramps to position the base properly with respect to the road surface. For example Hedgewick, U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,794, proposes such design. An upper surface on each of the ramps provides a smooth continuous surface for lifting the snowplow blade up and over the reflector which is mounted between the two ramps. The flanges have a contoured periphery to prevent any sharp edges from engagement with the edge of a snowplow. This arrangement results in a marker which may be easily traversed by a tire because it has wide ramps which are shorter in length than previous castings and provides lifting surfaces for lifting the snowplow blade regardless of the angle of incidence with the base. Arcuate slots corresponding to the arcuate curvature of the base members are cut into the road and filled with adhesive. The base members are inserted into the slots and the strength of the adhesive serves to anchor the roadway marker apparatus to the road.
The dependency on the strength of the adhesive leaves these traditional anchoring means exposed to failure. Any defects in terms of either the consistency of the adhesive itself or any defects in the application of the adhesive to the base member may result in an improperly anchored marker. This will lead to higher roadway maintenance costs as well as result in poor lane differentiation and thus more dangerous roads, putting public safety at risk.
Obedzinski, U.S. Pat. No. 7,524,137 proposes to avoid this danger and risk by the use of separate side guards for a roadway marker. A pair of spaced apart side-guards flank opposing sides of a reflector roadway marker. The opposing side-guards are each mounted in the road with rooting pins mounted in drilled holes in the road surface. Adhesive is coated on the rooting pins and in the holes in the road to assist in securing each side-guard to the road. Although the rooting pin concept of Obedzinski solves some of the shortcomings of the Hedgewick device, the resulting reflector marker straddled by two spaced apart side-guards is not economical and therefore what is needed is a traffic marker and reflector housing that is simple in design, effective in terms of communication with the driver of a vehicle, relatively simple to install, long lasting, and cost effective. Simplicity of installation is important not only from a cost standpoint but also in view of the need to minimize disruption of traffic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A snowplowable roadway marker according to the present invention includes a forged elongated rail member having a top portion integrally formed with a bottom portion. The top portion includes a reflector element to communicate to a driver the lane in which a vehicle is traveling at night from a viewpoint generally ahead of that vehicle, as from another entering from a merging side road or ramp. The top portion also has two laterally spaced apart inclined upper surfaces forming ramps which are joined together at their upper ends by a bridging upper surface or rib to smoothly guide a snowplow over the reflector elements of the roadway marker. The bottom portion of the snowplowable roadway marker includes a bottom surface and located on opposing ends of the bottom surface of the elongated rail member are two integrally forged rooting pins which, after installation, the bottom surface rests on the roadway surface with the exception of the leading edges which are below the road surface while the rooting pins are recessed below the roadway surface.
The inner side surfaces of the inclined ramps are tapered to define a tapered recess or pocket on each side of the bridging rib so that reflector elements secured in each pocket can be easily viewed by vehicle drivers approaching the roadway marker from both directions. The outer side surfaces of the inclined ramps also are tapered from top to bottom. The outer side surfaces may also be used to attach reflector elements which are used to assist a vehicle who is entering a highway from a merging side road or ramp.
The bottom portion of the forged elongated rail member is configured with rooting pins to be placed in a pair of holes drilled into the pavement. An adhesive is placed into the pair of holes before the rooting pins of the forged elongated rail member are inserted into the holes. Undercuts in the rooting pins including a separately spring loaded clip mounted to the rooting pins act to anchor the roadway marker into the pavement as the adhesive cures so as to prevent lateral movement of the roadway marker as a result of impact conditions caused by vehicle wheels and roadway maintenance equipment such as snowplows and the like.
It is therefore an important object of the invention to provide a roadway marker that is resistant to damage from snowplow blades and protects a reflector element.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a roadway marker that can be secured to the roadway surface in such a manner as to provide a high degree of resistance of being removed by snowplows.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a roadway marker having high resistance to damage and displacement by snowplows, and which uses a reflector element wherein the reflector element is not directly subjected to the impact and shock loads imposed by vehicle wheels.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a roadway marker that is of very low profile having a minimum amount of marker protruding above the surface of the pavement.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a roadway marker that is simple in design, economical to manufacture, easy to install using conventional equipment, and durable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the roadway marker and reflector guard;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an intersection of two streets merging together where the roadway marker can be most effective.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrates a roadway marker and reflector guard 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The roadway marker, designated by reference character 10, in use, is intended to be embedded in the pavement 15 of a roadway so as to project above the roadway surface 18 and be visible from oncoming vehicles traveling in either direction along the roadway surfaces 18, while being protected from snowplow blades (not shown) inclined at an acute angle to the direction of travel along the pavement 15. The roadway marker 10 includes a longitudinally elongated unitary body that supports thereon retro-reflector elements which will be described hereinafter.
The roadway marker 10 is formed from a relatively high-strength material. The roadway marker 10 is preferably forged as an integral unit having a body or base 20 having a lower portion 22 which is mounted in the pavement 15 and an upper portion 24 which includes a pair of elongated, laterally spaced apart rail or ramp members 26 for protecting the reflector elements from a blade of a snowplow. The ramp members 26 are designed so that their leading edges 28 are intended to be placed below the pavement level 15. The ramp members 26 have an incline 30 towards the longitudinal central portion of the roadway marker 10 and terminate into a bridging upper surface or rib 32 which is substantially parallel to the roadway surface 18. The bridging upper surface 32 is at a level above the uncut pavement level 15. The incline 30 of the ramp members 26 raises an oncoming snowplow blade up and over the forged roadway marker 10. Each pair of ramp members 26 straddling the bridging upper surface 32 also converge 34 towards the longitudinal central portion of the roadway marker 10.
Each pair of inclined ramps members 26 is defined by tapered outer sidewalls 36. Along the outer periphery of the roadway marker 10, a tapered outer sidewall 36 extends from the base 20 upwards to an outer top edge 38 of each ramp member 26. The inner top edges 40 are also the terminus for a tapered inner sidewall 42 which extends from the top of the ramp member 26 to a recessed surface 44 of a recessed area 46. The recessed area 46 receives a reflector element as will hereinafter be discussed.
A particular problem with pavement markers, especially in snowbelt country, is that of maintaining the pavement marker 10 in place on the roadway surface 18 under the frequent shock loads imposed by the wheels of vehicles passing over the pavement markers 10 as well as the loads delivered by snowplow blades during maintenance of the roadways in winter months. These impact loads are generally delivered near the very ends of the lower portion 22 of the base 20 of the roadway marker 10. To reduce the impact force, the leading edge of the roadway marker 10 is placed about ¼ inch below the pavement level so that when a snowplow blade impacts the roadway marker 10, the impact is made on the incline 30 of the ramp members 26. To resist the impact force, the lower portion 22 of the base 20 on each end includes a rooting pin 48, 50. In this preferred embodiment, the rooting pins 48, 50 are in the form of elongated cylindrical elements depending downwardly near the leading edge of the roadway marker 10 as part of the base lower portion 22. Other configurations or shapes are within the contemplation of this invention. The rooting pins 48, 50 create two anchoring points for the roadway marker 10. This doubles the anchoring force as compared to a single downwardly depending arcuate rib as exemplified in the prior art and allows for a more even distribution of forces on the pavement 15.
As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the rooting pins 48, 50 are substantially perpendicular to the roadway surface 18 when the roadway marker 10 is installed in the pavement 15. Each of the rooting pins 48, 50 also has a rounded end 52, 54 spaced from the base 20 of the roadway marker 10. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the rooting pins 48, 50 are aligned with the ends 31 of the inclined surface 30 of the respective ramp members 26 so as to provide a generous contour 55 at the intersection of the bottom or end 31 of the inclined ramp 30 and the outer diameter surface of each rooting pin 48, 50. This generous contour 55 provides a smooth transition between the ends of the tapered inner sidewall 42 of the recessed area 46 between the ramp members 26 and the outer diameter surface of each rooting pin 48, 50. Since each peripheral end of the roadway marker 10 is intended to be located approximately ¼ inch below grade with the center of the base 21 located at road level, it is this contour 55 that will first initiate an impact with the vehicle wheel or snowplow blade.
In order to obtain maximum retention capability by the adhesive used to permanently hold the rooting pins 48, 50 in a hole 56 drilled in the pavement, each rooting pin 48, 50 is provided with a plurality of laterally spaced recesses or anchor recesses, as exemplified by recess 57 as best shown in FIG. 3. Further, to maintain the rooting pins 48, 50 in position in the drilled hole 56 until the adhesive dries, a pre-loaded retainer clip 58 is clipped in at least one of the anchor recesses in the outside diameter of each rooting pin 48, 50 prior to inserting the rooting pin 48, 50 into each respective hole 56 which has been filled by an adhesive. The retainer clip 58 has barbs 60 on its outer diameter which create frictional interference with the walls of the hole 56 so that once installed in place, the barbs 60, because of the frictional interference with the walls of the drilled hole 56, will not allow the rooting pins 48, 50 to attempt to work its way out of the hole 56 before the adhesive cures. Back pressure is created by the action of inserting each rooting pin 48, 50 into each hole 56 filled with adhesive and the displacement of the adhesive causes a back pressure. To assist in reducing the effect of this adhesive displacement pressure, an axially oriented groove 62 is forged in the outside diameter of the rooting pins 48, 50, from the bottom end to the top end, to assist relieving the backpressure created by displacement of the adhesive as the rooting pins 48, 50 are inserted into each hole 56 upon installation in the pavement 15. The adhesive used in the preferred embodiment is an epoxy adhesive although it is well understood by those skilled in the art that a wide variety of adhesives may be used.
As disclosed hereinabove, the highest point of stress occurs near the ends of the roadway marker 10 when the vehicle or snowplow first comes into contact with the roadway marker 10 in the vicinity of the contour 55. To increase the resistance to stresses, the underside of the base 20, along the lower portion 22 is reinforced with additional material in the form of a large inside radius 64 between the underside of each pair of ramps and the interface with the rooting pins 48, 50. A constant cross-section is maintained for the complete length of each inclined ramp. This constant cross-section is then forged with the inner radius 64 as well as contour 55 providing a smooth transition from the inclined ramps to the outside diameter of the rooting pins 48, 50 on both the top and bottom of the lower portion 22 of the base member 20.
As disclosed above, the recessed area 46 between each pair of inclined ramps 26 is for the purpose of housing reflective elements to be mounted on the tapered inner sidewall 42 as well as the recessed surface 44 of the recessed areas 46 between the inclined ramps 26. It is also foreseen that reflector elements will be mounted on the tapered outer sidewall 36 along the outer periphery of the roadway marker 10 such that it can be easily identified to a driver that enters the highway from a side-street or entrance ramp. The tapered outer sidewalls 36 may be forged with a small depression (not shown) in order to accommodate the reflector element. For example, if the reflective element is in the form of a reflective tape, the tape may be fabricated to fit into the small recess and then sealed in position by a clear polycarbonate lens and ultrasonically welded thereto. If the reflective element is in the form of a reflective powder-coat that is sprayed onto the surface and cured in place, there is no need for a recessed surface in the outer tapered sidewall 36. In the case of a plastic reflector, it may be desirable to provide a recess into which the plastic reflector is adhesively sealed. Depending on the application, it is understood that the reflective element used is specifically designed to reflect light in specific angular ranges, in each case to suit the specific application.
In the preferred embodiment described reflectors are disclosed to be installed in both the recessed area 46 as well as the tapered outer sidewall 36 of the ramp members 26. It is foreseeable that reflector elements are used only in both recessed areas 46 without the use thereof on the tapered outer sidewalls 36. Such roadway markers could find application in situation where motorists only need to see a road marker from one direction, i.e., on a one-way road.
The roadway marker 10 is installed by drilling a pair of holes 56 to an appropriate depth into the roadway at a predetermined spaced interval. The holes 56 are not perpendicular to the roadway but at a slight acute angle to the roadway as is illustrated in FIG. 3 in hyphenated lines. A relief 65 in the form of a radius cut is then cut into the pavement 15 to create a clearance in order to accommodate the large inside radius 64 in the lower portion 22 of the base 20 between the pair of rooting pins 48, 50. A retainer clip 58 is then placed on each of the rooting pins 48, 50. Thereafter, the adhesive is placed in both holes. Prior to insertion of the rooting pins 48, 50 into the holes, the bottom 20 of the rail member is coated with the adhesive to assist in securing the base 20 of the marker to the road. Both rooting pins 48, 50 are then inserted into the respective holes 56. The barbs 60 on the retainer clip 58 interact with the walls of the holes 56 to create a frictional interference so that when the base 20 of the roadway marker 10 locates on the roadway surface 18 the roadway marker 10 will remain in place, and not be forced upwards out of the holes 56 by the reaction to the displacement of the adhesive within the hole, until the adhesive completely cures and vehicle traffic is permitted to traverse the roadway marker.
The purpose of drilling the holes 56 at a slight acute angle is to help retain the rooting pins 48, 50 in the holes 56. Any upward force created by a vehicle or snowplow passing over the roadway marker will be resisted by the adhesive trying to retract out of the hole 56. The small acute angle creates an interference with any force attempting to pull the rooting pin 48, 50 horizontally out of the holes 56. The interference created by the adhesive with the sidewall of the hole 56 will make it more difficult to remove the rooting pin 48, 50 with a horizontally upward force.
In operation, the roadway marker of this invention is implanted at spaced intervals along the edges of lanes of a multi-lane roadway to provide a system to delineate the lane in which a vehicle is travelling at night from positions generally ahead of the vehicle. The markers may be implanted and attached, as by an adhesive such as epoxy composition, to mark the outer edges and common middle edge of a double lane roadway, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In this system inner lane 66 and outer lane 68 are parallel adjacent lanes having roadway markers, 10 for example, as described and illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, implanted at intervals as shown. The headlights of a vehicle 70, travelling in outer lane 68 at night, will illuminate markers 10 ahead of it, specifically markers 10 a, and the light falling on the recessed surface 44 and tapered outer sidewall 36 of these markers will be reflected backwards as well as forwards and will be visible by the driver of the vehicle 70. A merging ramp or road 72 is shown on which another vehicle 74 is just about to enter or merge into roadway lane 68. The driver of the vehicle 74 can look back along roadway lane 68, either directly or through his rear view mirror, and seeing the brightly lit roadway markers 10 of the tapered outer sidewall 36 can readily determine that the vehicle 70 is in the outer lane 68 and not in inner lane 66. Warned of the danger he can slow down or stop until vehicle has passed and it is safe to enter lane 68. The headlights of vehicle 74 will to some extent illuminate markers 10 b as he enters lane 68, providing indication of his entering lane location to drivers ahead of him.
In a comprehensive installation, markers 10 may be placed along all edges of the lanes of a multilane roadway as illustrated in FIG. 5. This provides lane indication from forward positions of vehicles in all lanes, and may be useful for a driver wishing to switch into another lane, for example, facing a situation somewhat similar to that facing a driver merging from an on-ramp. In a more limited embodiment, markers 10 may be placed at edges of the outside lane and at areas near or approaching on-ramp or merging side road junctions to provide positive lane delineation at the most dangerous locations.
While the present invention has been described in terms of a preferred embodiment, it is apparent that other forms can be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the teachings of the present invention encompass any reasonable substitutions or equivalents of claim limitations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other applications are possible with this invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment disclosed. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A reflective roadway marker comprising:

an elongated forged body adapted to be secured to the surface of a roadway, said elongated body having one end; an opposite end; and an elevated central portion;

an upper surface partially defining said elevated central portion;

a bottom surface opposite said upper surface, said bottom surface contacting said road surface after said roadway marker is installed into said road;

said upper surface further having:

first spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps extending between said elevated central portion and the end of said body at said one end;

second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps extending between said elevated central portion and the end of said body at said opposite end; and

each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps defining a recessed area having a recessed surface in said upper surface of said elongated forged body;

said elevated central portion further defining a bridging area between said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps;

means for mounting said elongated forged body into said surface of said roadway, said means for mounting being integrally formed with said elongated forged body; and

reflective media mounted in each of said recesses between each said spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps whereby when said reflective roadway marker is mounted between opposite lanes of traffic in a roadway, the light from headlights of automobiles approaching from opposing directions will be reflected by said reflective media to communicate with the drivers of said automobile the location of the edge of a traffic lane.

2. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mean for mounting further comprises:

a first rooting pin integrally forged and dependent in a direction away from said bottom surface at said one end of said elongated forged body; and

a second rooting pin integrally forged and dependent in a direction away from said bottom surface at said opposite end of said elongated forged body.

3. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps each converge in a direction from a respective end of said roadway marker towards a respective side of said elevated central portion.

4. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said first and second rooting pins further comprises:

at least one laterally spaced annular recess formed into each of said first and second rooting pins; and

a resilient retainer clip mounted in said at least one laterally spaced recess of each rooting pin, said resilient retainer clip providing an interference fit with the walls of a respective hole drilled in the pavement.

5. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 4 wherein said resilient retainer clip mounted in said at least one laterally spaced recess of each rooting pin further comprises barbs mounted to said resilient retainer clip such that said barbs pry into said walls of each said respective hole drilled in the pavement and prevent said roadway marker from being raised due to the displacement of adhesive in said holes as said roadway marker is mounted into said holes.

6. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps further comprise:

a tapered outer sidewall disposed between said periphery of said bottom surface and the top edge of each ramp member; and

a tapered inner sidewall disposed between an outer top edge of each ramp member and said recessed surface between each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps.

7. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 5 wherein each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps further comprise:

8. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps each converge in a direction from a respective end of said roadway marker towards a respective side of said elevated central portion.

9. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reflective media is selected from a group consisting of reflective tape, reflective power-coat or reflective plastic.

10. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 8 wherein said reflective media is selected from a group consisting of reflective tape, reflective powder coat or reflective plastic.

11. A reflective roadway marker comprising:

an elongated forged body having a longitudinal axis, an elevated central portion, and a bottom portion adapted to be secured to the surface of a road surface;

a first pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps extending above said bottom portion, said first pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps straddling said longitudinal axis and converging in a direction towards one side of said elevated central portion;

a second pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps extending above said bottom portion, said second pair of spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps positioned on said bottom portion to converge in a direction towards an other side of said elevated central portion;

said elevated central portion further defining a bridging area for said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps;

each of said first and second pair of inclined spaced apart longitudinally oriented ramps defining a recessed area having a recessed surface between each pair of said first and second pair of spaced apart longitudinally inclined ramps;

reflective media mounted on each recessed surface in each of said recessed areas between each said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps; and

means for mounting said elongated forged body into said roadway surface, said means for mounting being integrally formed with said elongated forged body whereby when said reflective roadway marker is mounted between opposite lanes of traffic in a roadway, the light from headlights from automobiles approaching from opposing directions will be reflected by said reflective media to communicate with the drivers of said automobiles the location of the edge of a traffic lane.

12. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 11 wherein said mean for mounting further comprises:

13. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 12 wherein each said first and second rooting pins further comprises:

14. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 13 wherein said resilient retainer clip mounted in said at least one laterally spaced recess of each rooting pin further comprises barbs mounted to said resilient retainer clip such that said barbs pry into said walls of each said respective hole drilled in the pavement and prevent said roadway marker from being raised due to the displacement of adhesive in said holes as said roadway marker is mounted into said holes.

15. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 11 wherein each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps further comprise:

16. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 14 wherein each of said first and second spaced apart longitudinally oriented inclined ramps further comprise:

17. The reflective roadway marker as claimed in claim 11 wherein said reflective media is selected from a group consisting of reflective tape, reflective power-coat or reflective plastic.

18. A method for installing a roadway marker having a base and two rooting pins extending from said base, wherein said each said rooting pin has a spring loaded clip mounted thereon with barbs extending from said spring loaded clip, said method comprising the steps of:

drilling two holes at an acute angle to the vertical plane at a predetermined distance apart from each other, into the pavement to a predetermined depth;

machining a groove intersecting a portion of each hole of said two holes in the pavement along a straight line between said two holes drilled in the pavement, each said groove being for a predetermined distance and at a predetermined depth;

filling said holes and each said groove with an adhesive;

applying adhesive to each rooting pin and underside base of said roadway marker;

insert each rooting pin in a respective hole in said pavement; and

move each rooting pin downward into each respective hole in said pavement until said base rests on said pavement such that said barbs located on said spring loaded clip mounted to each rooting pin will create an interference fit with the wall of each hole and hold said roadway marker in place until said adhesive applied to said base and residing in said two holes cures to hold said roadway marker permanently in place in said pavement.