What are painted solid lines, broken lines, arrows, or words on the roadway commonly referred to as?

Painted solid lines, broken lines, arrows, or words on the roadway are commonly referred to as roadway markings. These markings serve several critical functions in traffic management and driver guidance. They provide visual cues to drivers about lane usage, direction of travel, and specific rules such as no passing zones or turn lanes. Roadway markings help ensure the safe and efficient flow of traffic by clearly delineating lanes, indicating where a vehicle must stop, and guiding drivers in making appropriate maneuvers.

The other terms, while related to road safety and navigation, do not specifically denote the painted features on the road. Roadway signs are typically upright structures that convey information via symbols or text, traffic indicators generally refer to signals or devices that manage traffic flow, and pavement symbols are more specific visual symbols applied to the pavement but do not encompass all types of roadway markings. Therefore, "roadway markings" accurately describes the broad range of painted guides on the roadway.