Some Charlotte streets feature faded markings. Who’s in charge of repainting them?
Some road markings throughout Charlotte are faded, making them hard to see at any time of the day, especially at night or in inclement weather.
Though the Charlotte Department of Transportation did not indicate how many streets are currently in need of a fresh coat of paint, lane markings are refreshed along an average of 79 miles of roadway per year.
Age, friction and weather are the main causes of waning road markings, a CODT spokesperson told The Charlotte Observer.
CDOT is responsible for pavement markings on 2,400 miles of streets maintained by the city, according to the department’s website.
To prevent lane markings from disappearing, many local transportation departments, including Charlotte, are using a new type of material that lasts longer than traditional road paint.
What kind of paint is used for lane markings?
CDOT uses thermoplastic pavement markings, which are applied with heat to fuse the material to the pavement, the spokesperson said.
Unlike traditional road paint, which typically only lasts for up to two years, thermoplastic pavement markings can last for six to eight years.
Data show that thermoplastic materials have also improved the safety of roads in the state.
From 2014-2017, the materials were applied to 400 miles of rural, two-lane roads in North Carolina, according to NCDOT. A study conducted by the department found that the new paint led to a 13% reduction in lane-departure crashes, NCDOT said.
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How often are the roads in Charlotte repainted?
Lane markings on Charlotte-maintained streets are applied after roads are resurfaced, and some are refreshed through developer or capital projects, CDOT said. The agency also responds to maintenance requests from the public.
The approximate costs for double yellow lane markings and white lane markings for a one-mile segment of road are $9,600 and $4,700, respectively, according to CDOT. Funding for resurfacing comes from the North Carolina gas tax.
You can check CDOT’s Resurfacing List to see if road improvements are scheduled for your neighborhood.
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This story was originally published September 23, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
