Abstract: A traffic delineator has a hollow cylindrical shell which may be of a preselected color over a preselected portion of the cylindrical shell with a wall thickness which is smaller at its top than at its bottom. As a result of the reduced weight at the top of the shell, the delineator has better recovery than delineators with constant wall thickness shells. In addition, the reduced wall thickness requires less material thereby permitting the shell to be made from a higher recovery, higher cost material, such as polyurethane. In one embodiment the wall thickness varies continuously from top to bottom and in another embodiment there is a series of steps with a constant wall thickness section between steps. The delineator has a smaller diameter base which provides rigidity and permits the delineator to be releasably supported by a support stand having a recess which releasably engages the base in a preselected orientation, held therein by a pin.