Durable pavement markings, such as thermoplastic, are desirable on high-traffic-volume roadways because they require fewer restripe cycles, reducing the amount of worker exposure and delay to traffic. However, on very low-volume roads, paint may provide comparable performance to durable materials at a much lower cost.

Thermoplastic materials provide suitable performance for a broad range of traffic volumes. Because thermoplastic dries very quickly, it is well suited for higher traffic volume roadways. However, thermoplastics may not be the most durable marking in areas where very high-traffic volumes or heavy weaving result in increased tire wear. Other two-component materials or permanent tapes may provide better durability under extreme traffic conditions.