The Botts’ Dots Thread

[AMLNet49]

I know California has stopped using these in primary installs, but they are still a staple of the West Coast.

I want all your pictures of these little guys that have been substituting for lane markings in non-snow areas since the 1950s

I'll start by posting a not-great quality photo of my daily roadway-level view of the Botts' Dots on the one-way street outside my office window in Washington State.

[ozarkman417]

If it's two things I remember from my Seattle trip, is was the last days of the Viaduct (and the very old US 99 sign) and these things, especially near the Sea-Tac airport. I don't recall seeing any of them here in Missouri.

[oscar]

Hawaii DOT has been a heavy Botts' Dots user. It helps that none of its highways climb above 7000 feet, while snow on its mountain peaks is rare below 10000 feet.

Here's an old (2001) photo of the lane markings on Interstate H-1 through downtown Honolulu:



Since Hawaii DOT follows Caltrans on many things, I was worried Botts' Dots were endangered in Hawaii. In my latest visits to Maui in 2018, Botts' Dots were still hanging on. I'm unsure whether there is no money to replace them before they wear out with good painted lane stripes (bad painted stripes abound, so the raised markings really help), or there's some other explanation.

[Revive 755]

Parts of Texas used to use them.  Example in Mansfield

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

As a kid I'd see these near interstate facilities in the early 2000's, but it seems ArDOT has phased them out for RPMs.

[ErmineNotyours]

Even though Renton is a heavy user of Botts Dots, they don't have them on the center line on their half of the Grady Way Bridge.

[index]

Botts' Dots in Alabama:
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.521622,-86.7907409,3a,75y,56.89h,85.78t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sfgivsnqP-PjBov9-zLLYcw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DfgivsnqP-PjBov9-zLLYcw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D321.64105%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
South Carolina:
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.626952,-80.8842725,3a,49.3y,42.71h,88.4t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s3tD0Rtm3D7Ya8VU8JRFIQQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D3tD0Rtm3D7Ya8VU8JRFIQQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D159.36732%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
Pretty rare for these states.

[kphoger]

Mexican style

[ErmineNotyours]

Seattle Parks use dots in their parking stalls.  Makes it easy to park by braille.

[TheArkansasRoadgeek]

Seattle Parks use dots in their parking stalls.  Makes it easy to park by braille.

See, the blind will one day drive! They'll just have to "feel the road".

[ErmineNotyours]

The remains of not exactly a hard Botts dot, but it's something.  The outer edges are hard metal and the inner remains are rubbery.  Maybe someone knows what it is and can link to what it looked like when it was new.  This is a road bypassed by both the new US 101 freeway and a local road a few miles northwest of Olympia, Washington.  I discovered it years ago on a bicycle trip and it's still there.

[Revive 755]

Seattle Parks use dots in their parking stalls.  Makes it easy to park by braille.

I wouldn't mind seeing the dots used more often for parking spaces like that.

[bing101]

https://www.timesheraldonline.com/2017/08/24/caltrans-says-bye-bye-to-botts-dots-on-freeways/The first freeways with Botts Dots was a section of I-80 in Vacaville and CA-99 in Fresno.

[KEVIN_224]

Even though Renton is a heavy user of Botts Dots, they don't have them on the center line on their half of the Grady Way Bridge.

But they DO have this in view, just off of the bridge.

[stevashe]

Some Bott's Dots/RPMs on a freshly paved Richard's Road in Bellevue, WA. I really like how these look on new pavement.

Bellevue is also also a very heavy user of dots, especially so with those extra-long lane line dashes!

[TEG24601]

The major drawback in Washington with Botts' Dots, is that they are rarely reflective, and therefore can't easily be seen in the rain.  They work well when used on top of lines, but by themselves, no thanks.

[stevashe]

The major drawback in Washington with Botts' Dots, is that they are rarely reflective, and therefore can't easily be seen in the rain.  They work well when used on top of lines, but by themselves, no thanks.

Not sure what you mean, there is always at least one reflective dot at the beginning of each "dash" as required by WSDOT and city standard plans, and every 20 feet on solid lines (see drawing below). The only reason they wouldn't be there is if they'd been knocked off, though WSDOT is pretty good about replacing them, but some cities less so. And you have the same problem when combined with lines anyway.

And besides, even if you can't see them in the rain, at least you feel the bump! With just lines you'd get nothing.

[ErmineNotyours]

And let's hear it for the large Botts Dots, which used to accent double yellow and solid white lines, but have become hard to find.  I've been searching for them since this thread started, and I finally found some a few blocks from my home.  I guess they because became a hazard to bicycling and have been removed from open areas.

[Rothman]

When I lived in San Mateo (late 1990s), the larger dots were everywhere.

[jay8g]

And let's hear it for the large Botts Dots, which used to accent double yellow and solid white lines, but have become hard to find.  I've been searching for them since this thread started, and I finally found some a few blocks from my home.  I guess they because a hazard to bicycling and have been removed from open areas.

That reminds me of the massive concrete or metal ones that Seattle once used all over the place. I've never quite understood what those were about, and they're almost all gone today.

WSDOT also used RPMs for wall numbers of some sort in the Convention Center/Freeway Park tunnel. And then there are the ones that Metro installed as reflectors on the walls of the bus tunnel. All sorts of unconventional uses around here, I guess!

[MCRoads]

And let's hear it for the large Botts Dots, which used to accent double yellow and solid white lines, but have become hard to find.  I've been searching for them since this thread started, and I finally found some a few blocks from my home.  I guess they because became a hazard to bicycling and have been removed from open areas.

Someone beat me to it! There were a couple of places on Eglin AFB where these were used to discourage left turns. I remember that they made a huge bump when you drove over them. IDK where they were, or even if they are still there, or why they didn't use those bollards that do the same thing more effectively, but they were used there.

Also, how do I get one in a (possibly questionably) legal way? I have some raised reflectors, just need the dotts to complete the collection of RPMs I have.

[ErmineNotyours]

I finally found a picture of this: a dot with a round cylinder of plastic at the front to reflect light.  I've only seen them in Kent, Washington.  I remember when they were brand new, but now it's hard to find one with the piece of plastic still inside.

[AMLNet49]

That's really cool actually, most places will just place a cat's eye in front of each "stripe"  of dots.

[ErmineNotyours]

I think I finally identified the rubber and metal dot I found earlier, at 13:23.

[Dirt Roads]

One of the most famous sections of big ole' Botts Dots are all gone after a riverside bike path was constructed alongside the Kanawha Boulevard on the west side of Charleston in 2017.  The roadway was narrowed from four lanes divided to three lanes (mostly 2 eastbound and 1 westbound).  Traditionally, the eastbound lanes had a bunch intersections with left turn signals in the left lane, while the right lanes were segregated with Botts Dots using hanging beacon lights as pull-thru signals.  If I recall correctly, all of the pull-thru signals had a single green arrow pointed downwards.

In the golden days, most of the traffic in Charleston ran down the Boulevard (which at one time was Alt US-60, No Trucks).  On the west side, there were 7 signalized intersections equipped with Botts Dots:  Bream Street, Florida Street, Fitzgerald Street, Park Avenue, Delaware Avenue, Ohio Avenue and Tennessee Avenue.  Only Florida Avenue remains signalized.  If you made the mistake of getting in the left lane to pass, you might get stuck at the stop light.  I once saw someone try to cross a string of Botts Dots to avoid the red phase and they tore up their little pickup truck.