Road striping more common than it used to be?

[bandit957]

Does anyone else think road striping is more common now than it was in the '70s or '80s? It sure seems that way around here. In my day, some major streets and roads didn't even have a stripe down the middle, but they do now. I've also seen older photos where city streets that were part of a U.S. highway didn't even have a stripe.

Are road budgets really bigger now than they were 30 or 40 years ago?

[GCrites]

Oh I'm sure. With all the growth and sprawl that has happened since then there has to have been a significant increase in striped roads. Along with increased safety standards, even zero-growth areas have seen stripes added to pavement.

[jakeroot]

There are some roads near me that once only had edge lines, but have since been marked with yellow turtles in the middle (so not striping per se, but a marking nonetheless). Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

For the longest time, Pierce County, Washington only painted crosswalks at very select locations (such as school crossings). At signals, there would be the crosswalk signals, ramps, pushbuttons, etc, but no marking of the crosswalk itself. That practice changed several years ago, and most of the unmarked crosswalks are now marked with WSDOT-standard zebra markings.

[JMAN_WiS&S]

I think so. My city used to previously do center lines only on major streets and main residential thru ways. Now almost all new road construction jobs call for white edge lines separating parking lane from traffic, a bike lane or bikes share road with cars lane symbol ( Bike with two chevron above it) Also crosswalks vary between solid lines and dashed white rectangles for whatever reason. Stop bars are usually only common at 4 way stops or major stop signs and traffic lights.

[jeffandnicole]

Depends.  One town near me has added some stripping.  In the meantime, the city I work in rarely repaints lines, and when a road is repaved, generally doesn't put down any lines except near the intersection.

[theline]

My recollection from the 70s and before was that only some of the busiest city streets were striped, at least in Indiana. Striping is much more prevalent now. In my town, South Bend, we could still use more markings, particularly where it isn't obvious whether there are two or four lanes of traffic. It causes a lot of confusion.

[hbelkins]

Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

Kentucky did a highway safety project either last year or the year before in which they painted edge lines only on a bunch of narrow rural secondary roads.

[jakeroot]

Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

Kentucky did a highway safety project either last year or the year before in which they painted edge lines only on a bunch of narrow rural secondary roads.

I certainly find edge lines to be more helpful than center lines, if only because ditches can be hard to see at night, plus, the white of the edge line is really bright when lit by a headlight (white seems to be a better reflector at night).

[Brian556]

This phenomenon isn't just with pavement markings. It includes signage in general, as well as guardrails. The only thing that is less common now is delineators. Nowadays, you don't even see them half of the time on freeway entrance and exit ramps, even though they are required. Even Florida, which was the delineator capital of the US, has really gone downhill on this.

[kphoger]

Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

Kentucky did a highway safety project either last year or the year before in which they painted edge lines only on a bunch of narrow rural secondary roads.

I certainly find edge lines to be more helpful than center lines, if only because ditches can be hard to see at night, plus, the white of the edge line is really bright when lit by a headlight (white seems to be a better reflector at night).

Agreed.  I'd much rather have edge lines and no center line than vice versa.

Here is a good example of it.

[kalvado]

Agreed.  I'd much rather have edge lines and no center line than vice versa.

Here is a good example of it.

Yes, that line should really help mowers to tell where grass ends..

[wanderer2575]

Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

Kentucky did a highway safety project either last year or the year before in which they painted edge lines only on a bunch of narrow rural secondary roads.

I certainly find edge lines to be more helpful than center lines, if only because ditches can be hard to see at night, plus, the white of the edge line is really bright when lit by a headlight (white seems to be a better reflector at night).

Agreed.  I'd much rather have edge lines and no center line than vice versa.

Here is a good example of it.

And this in Michigan.  Parts of this road are twisty and edge lines are definitely more important.

[bandit957]

It seems like Kentucky usually striped SIGNED state routes, but unsigned state routes weren't always so.

[Pink Jazz]

NDOT continues to use Botts' Dots in the Las Vegas District even today. 

Here in Arizona ADOT has used Botts' Dots in the past in the snow-free areas of the state, but stopped using them in the late 1990s.  US 95 south of Yuma is one of the last state-maintained roads that still has them today, and this road is long overdue for repaving.

[Rothman]

It seems like Kentucky usually striped SIGNED state routes, but unsigned state routes weren't always so.

Heh.  I remember when they painted edge lines on KY 122 between Martin and Melvin.  That was in the late 1980s or early 1990s.  As my mother, who grew up in Wheelwright quipped, "They're treating this like it's a real road!"

Of course, when she was a kid, KY 122 had portions that were still just the creek bed.

[Bruce]

There are some roads near me that once only had edge lines, but have since been marked with yellow turtles in the middle (so not striping per se, but a marking nonetheless). Now, roads with only edge lines are much harder to find.

For the longest time, Pierce County, Washington only painted crosswalks at very select locations (such as school crossings). At signals, there would be the crosswalk signals, ramps, pushbuttons, etc, but no marking of the crosswalk itself. That practice changed several years ago, and most of the unmarked crosswalks are now marked with WSDOT-standard zebra markings.

Really wish Seattle would get with the program and cover the streets with crosswalk markings.

Unfortunately, most places won't be able to just get a cheap marked crossing, but needing signals and signs because of how dangerous it is/is perceived to be.

[triplemultiplex]

Since it's an obvious safety feature of modern roadways, I would expect more roads to be striped than in the past.
Lane striping dramatically improves a driver's ability to perceive their position on the roadway, especially how it relates to oncoming traffic.  Stripes make it easier to drive straighter in the lane and negotiate curves without drifting.  The reflectivity of the paint extends the reach of headlights at night, especially in situations where drivers can't use their high beams.

[mariethefoxy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH1X1hG3F5Y Guy really annoyed at the new lines in the Wakefield Rotary

[roadman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH1X1hG3F5Y Guy really annoyed at the new lines in the Wakefield Rotary

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/06/09/new-wakefield-rotary-configuration-causes-confusion-uproar/

[jakeroot]

Guy really annoyed at the new lines in the Wakefield Rotary

I'm sure he was being overdramatic, but I too don't like all that blank space outside of the usable lane space. I'd fill in the shoulders with grass or a curb extension, to at least clear up some of the confusion.

[vdeane]

Sounds like someone needs to learn how modern roundabouts work.

[jeffandnicole]

They appear to be some really narrow lanes as well.

[jakeroot]

Sounds like someone needs to learn how modern roundabouts work.

His insistence on travelling round and round may have exacerbated the situation -- the roundabout may not be striped for U-turns.

[jeffandnicole]

Sounds like someone needs to learn how modern roundabouts work.

His insistence on travelling round and round may have exacerbated the situation -- the roundabout may not be striped for U-turns.

U-Turns are probably OK - that's where he would've left the roundabout prior to crossing over the solid lines.  Continuing on doing the complete 360 is where the problem was.

[empirestate]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH1X1hG3F5Y Guy really annoyed at the new lines in the Wakefield Rotary

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/06/09/new-wakefield-rotary-configuration-causes-confusion-uproar/

"This is stupid!" Translation: "I don't understand this application of a subject that I know nothing about and haven't made the slightest effort to research."

And of course, yet another local news blurb that doesn't even attempt to explain why the markings are confusing, how they're supposed to work, how drivers expect them to work, or what process the DOT went through to design and install them.


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