Traffic Payout

Crews start restriping major highways this week and plan to finish by fall 2012, weather permitting.

By guest blogger Meagan McFadden

The worn-out stripes along some of the state’s busiest highways will soon be a thing of the past as crews restripe about 40 miles of roadway, in eight counties, along five routes.

This week, we start work on a $2.7 million safety project to restripe high-traffic locations on Interstate 5 in Marysville, Lynnwood, Lacey, Tumwater and the express lanes in Seattle, State Route 240 in Richland, US 2 in Cashmere, US 12 in Walla Walla and I-205 near Vancouver.

We have all been in driving conditions where it’s really hard to see the stripes, so that’s why we are going to improve visibility for drivers by putting down tougher stripes thanks to funding approved by the Legislature.

Crews will spend the next 40 days laying down more durable, plastic-like lane lines across the state and, weather permitting, finish by the end of October. This time we aren’t using paint, we are using a more durable striping material called methyl methacrylate. This material should last longer than paint and withstand the wear and tear from weather and vehicles.

Don’t worry; we are going to limit the impacts to your commute by avoiding peak-travel times and stripe at night through the early morning. But if you are out and about during this time, please make sure to look out for our crews, slow down and give ‘em a brake.