Strange lines on roads

[pderocco]

I was driving up US-395 toward Owens Lake, and saw some strange lengthwise lines on the road which I remembered also seeing in the Flagstaff area around New Year's, and photographed at the time intending to ask about them here. Can anyone tell me what these lines are:


My guess is that there's some new method of preventing road icing by spraying something on the road out of a row of nozzles, and the chemical actually stains the pavement. I don't know how new this is, but I had never seen this until now.

[wanderer2575]

It might be salt brine sprayed on the road if snow and/or ice is expected soon.  Dry surfaces can't be pre-salted because passing traffic will just blow the salt off the road, but pre-brining can be done because the salt will stick after the brine dries.  Where I live, the city routinely brines its main roads ahead of expected accumulation.  Whether it actually helps, I'm not so sure.  It doesn't permanently stain the pavement.

[jeffandnicole]

Yes, that's brine. A quick history via web searches appears that it first started being tested in the mid-1990s. Been in use well over a decade now in many states.

It works well until it gets wet. Put it down today...as long as it doesn't rain it'll still be effective if it doesn't snow for another week.

But...it alao helps just for the first inch of snow, as the snow melts then washes the brine away. Personally, I think its best for light snowfalls. If an area will get more than a few inches, after that first inch falls its not effective, so the overall benefits are minimal. And if it rains before it snows, it doesn't help at all.

[kphoger]

Yeah, that sight is completely commonplace to me.

[mgk920]

S.O.P. before expected snowy weather here, too.

Mike

[SEWIGuy]

Yes, that's brine. A quick history via web searches appears that it first started being tested in the mid-1990s. Been in use well over a decade now in many states.

It works well until it gets wet. Put it down today...as long as it doesn't rain it'll still be effective if it doesn't snow for another week.

But...it alao helps just for the first inch of snow, as the snow melts then washes the brine away. Personally, I think its best for light snowfalls. If an area will get more than a few inches, after that first inch falls its not effective, so the overall benefits are minimal. And if it rains before it snows, it doesn't help at all.

My understanding is that even for heavy snows, the brine makes it much easier to plow because the snow doesn't stick to the road as much.

But yeah...that's very common in the north.

[GaryV]

Another factor is that this can be pre-applied before the snowstorm starts in multiple locations. So when the snow starts coming, there is already some melting effect going on across the jurisdiction. Then they can plow/salt the roads as needed instead of having to do all of them when the snow starts.

[jeffandnicole]

Yes, that's brine. A quick history via web searches appears that it first started being tested in the mid-1990s. Been in use well over a decade now in many states.

It works well until it gets wet. Put it down today...as long as it doesn't rain it'll still be effective if it doesn't snow for another week.

But...it alao helps just for the first inch of snow, as the snow melts then washes the brine away. Personally, I think its best for light snowfalls. If an area will get more than a few inches, after that first inch falls its not effective, so the overall benefits are minimal. And if it rains before it snows, it doesn't help at all.

My understanding is that even for heavy snows, the brine makes it much easier to plow because the snow doesn't stick to the road as much.

But yeah...that's very common in the north.

In my plowing experiences, I think it does help especially when temps are close to 32°. But the colder the temps and heavier the snow, the brine assist ends earlier.

[pderocco]

Thanks for all that info. It seems odd that I saw some of these lines yesterday on US-395 south of Lone Pine. They're not predicting snow at 4000 feet in April.

[kphoger]

Thanks for all that info. It seems odd that I saw some of these lines yesterday on US-395 south of Lone Pine. They're not predicting snow at 4000 feet in April.

Yeah, the forecast low for Independence and Big Pine during Thursday's precipitation is only 40-43 degrees.  That is weird.

[freebrickproductions]

Thanks for all that info. It seems odd that I saw some of these lines yesterday on US-395 south of Lone Pine. They're not predicting snow at 4000 feet in April.

Yeah, the forecast low for Independence and Big Pine during Thursday's precipitation is only 40-43 degrees.  That is weird.

Maybe there's some concern for potential ice accumulation on the road for whatever reason?

[kphoger]

Thanks for all that info. It seems odd that I saw some of these lines yesterday on US-395 south of Lone Pine. They're not predicting snow at 4000 feet in April.

Yeah, the forecast low for Independence and Big Pine during Thursday's precipitation is only 40-43 degrees.  That is weird.

Maybe there's some concern for potential ice accumulation on the road for whatever reason?

Reminds me of a story.  I used to live with a guy who had grown up in both Mexico City and Santa Ana (CA).  He told me of a childhood memory from back in Mexico City, when his family took a road trip south out of the city.  As they were up in the mountains, he saw a highway sign that said to watch out for ice on the road.  Having never seen ice on the ground, his childhood mind could only assume there was a delivery truck full of ice that had crashed up ahead, spilling ice all over the asphalt.