B.C.'s fading road markings causing concerns
Increasingly difficult to see markings on wet roads at night, drivers say
Truckers and other drivers say they are seeing a deterioration of lane markings on many of B.C.’s roads and highways and say the conditions could be compromising safety.
"It's really hard to find the road and for people who don't see as well at night, seniors maybe, it's got to be frightening," motorist Brent Caughy, told CBC News.
Caughy spends at least two hours every day commuting from Mission to Surrey.
On most major highways, he said he sees faded lane markings, missing reflectors and unmarked shoulders.
The B.C. Trucking Association said it has seen a spike in driver complaints.
"Generally, the pavement markings seemed to be rubbing off or seemed to be rubbed off very quickly," said the association’s Louise Yako. "[Drivers] were having difficulty seeing the middle and the edge of the road. There's obvious safety implications for that."
Part of the problem is weather. On high-volume highways such as the Coquihalla, wear and tear can't be avoided, according to Ed Miska, an engineer with the B.C. Transportation Ministry.
"You have snowplows. There are vehicles with chains on that are striking the markings. We put winter aggregate on the road and all these things in combination will take a substantial toll," Miska said.
Mainroad Pavement Marking Ltd. looks after many roadways in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and the Okanagan.
Oil-based paint banned
Road markings are repainted once a year, but new environmental rules mean road crews can't use heavy oil-based paints anymore.
"Simply going to a water-based paint has an issue, because humidity plays a huge factor," said Jamie Hiebert, of Mainroad. "If you have areas with high humidity, water-borne paints, you typically can't get them to dry."
The company is trying other paints that meet the environmental guidelines, but it's sometimes a case of trial and error, especially if it's raining.
"You get that asphalt that has that kind of mirror look when it's wet and then you don't see the paint," said Hiebert.
On routes with lower visibility or higher traffic volume, inlaid lines — which are grooved right into the pavement — may soon be the way to go.
The lines are a hit on the Sea-to-Sky Highway and Malahat Highway and may be tried on other major routes, Hiebert said.
With files from the CBC's Leah Hendry