Road Marks help you automatically identify spray-painted surface markings that indicate underground utilities directly within your 4M map.
These surface markings, typically applied by locators, act as above-ground evidence of buried infrastructure. By detecting and mapping them automatically, 4M gives you a clearer, more complete view of what lies beneath the surface.
Step 1: Enable Object Detection on Your Project
Before viewing Road Marks, Object Detection must be enabled. If you did not enable this when you first created your project, follow these steps:
Open your project in 4M.
In the left panel, click Start Detection to begin the Object Detection process.
Once processing is complete (typically within two hours), you’ll receive a notification and email.
You can learn more about Object Detection in this article. When Object Detection is active, Road Marks detection will run automatically as part of the same process, with no separate setup required.
Step 2: View Road Marks in Your Map
After detection is complete, zoom in on your project to explore the Markings layer.
Colored hexagons on the map represent detected Road Marks.
Click any hexagon to open its details, then expand to Street View to see the marking up close.
To manage visibility:
Go to the Layers tab in the left panel.
Scroll down to the Markings section.
Click the three dots menu → select Show Only This to isolate Road Marks.
To bring other layers (such as Lines or Objects) back into view, click the eye icon next to each section.
To hide Road Marks, click the eye icon next to Markings.
Step 3: How to Use Road Marks
Road Marks add an important layer of confidence when analyzing underground utilities.
When Road Marks appear without a corresponding utility line, this may suggest missing or unverified records. 4M can use this visual evidence during the Recovery process.
When both Road Marks and utility lines are present but offset, the discrepancy may indicate a more accurate location of the underground asset.
By correlating Road Marks with your existing data, you can validate records, reduce uncertainty, and improve design accuracy.
Why It Matters
Road Marks introduce a new layer of evidence to your 4M workflow. By linking visible surface markings with subsurface utility data, you can:
Plan and coordinate more efficiently
Reduce field risk and rework
Strengthen confidence in your project’s data integrity
Questions? Reach out to your CSM for more information.