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Raised road markings can be of different reflective colours, some of which, such as white and yellow, have a clear meaning taken from road marking regulations. But there are other colours, such as blue and green, which convey more information to those in the know.

Some colors can tell police, emergency services, or maintenance workers where things like parking lots, fire hydrants, or shutoff valves are. Some colors can even switch places, conveying different messages depending on the direction of travel. However, these meanings, like the reflector design, vary from place to place.

The Cat’s Eye was invented in 1933 by Percy Shaw of Boothtown, a suburb of Halifax, England. It consists of a reflective glass sphere housed in a rubber and cast iron body. Each unit is complex and dynamic, with its various materials carefully designed to implement a variety of intelligent functions.

The metal body protects the device and also makes sounds when cars pass by, just like Botts’ Dots. Meanwhile, fixed rubber wipers clear dirt from the glass by sliding under the road. The cat’s eye glass is also reflective, meaning it redirects light back to its source with minimal scattering, optimizing visibility for passing cars. Today, some new versions of the cat’s eye are solar-powered, collecting energy that is then used to power an LED light (instead of the old reflective glass eye).

Over time, different colors have emerged due to different uses. The usage is standardized in most European countries:

The cat’s eye is popular in the UK, perhaps partly because it is so effective on foggy days, but the cat’s eye is not the only solution around the world. The simpler trapezoid design can be found in many places. However, the exact meaning of the colour codes varies from place to place, especially when it comes to less common colours and reversible options.

About a decade after the Cat’s Eye appeared on European streets, other types of raised road markings began appearing in the United States. Many of the designs still in use today are based on the designs of engineer Sidney A. Heenan, who worked for the Stimsonite Company in Niles, Illinois. His trademark was patented in 1967 and later improved upon by Ramon J. Asencio, who added a protective coating to improve impact resistance and wear resistance. The brand has changed hands several times over the years, but is still in business.

Raised reflective markings typically have a pair of small ramps, one facing oncoming traffic and one facing away from oncoming traffic. Although every ramp is reflective and most are the same shape, different color schemes convey different messages to drivers. In North America:

In Australia, European traditions prevail, although (as in the US) blue is used to indicate the presence of a fire hydrant. Yellow has an additional function in Victoria: a dotted yellow line with yellow reflectors marks tram tracks, on which other vehicles may travel. Meanwhile, solid lines and double yellow reflectors warn drivers not to cross the road.

Raised pavement markings have other uses, too, from art installations to rural roads, hunting trails, and private driveways. While Botts’ Dots are being phased out in places like California, the future of other marker designs looks promising.

It should be noted that in Canada and I believe in the northern states, the road reflectors are recessed and level with the road surface to prevent snow removal vehicles from driving over them.

The details are just amazing! I love these things, they make night driving so much more fun! Also, in Japan and China, some road reflectors flash LED lights at night, making the highways look like runways with landing lights!