JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Winter weather and snow plowing, along with general wear and tear, take their toll on the stripes that outline state highways. With spring here and warmer temperatures on the way, Missouri Department of Transportation crews will begin putting fresh stripes on major mid-Missouri routes beginning March 31. MoDOT crews will work 10 hours a day, Monday through Saturday, for the next few months to lay down the yellow and white stripes.
Striping operations are considered work zones, just like any other maintenance or construction project, only they're mobile. During striping season, motorists can expect to encounter slow-moving lines of trucks with flashing lights, boards with flashing arrows and signs that say "Wet Paint."
"We'd like to remind drivers to stay alert and use caution when they encounter these moving work zones," said Central District Engineer David Silvester. "Safety is our primary concern. We want our workers, as well as all motorists, to make it home safely."
On two-lane highways, MoDOT crews will pull out of the way when they can and where it is safe to do so to let any congestion clear. On four-lane highways, motorists can pull around the striping train by carefully merging into the open lane.
Silvester offered the following driving tips to keep in mind when coming upon a striping convoy:
•· Stay behind the last truck in the striping train. The last truck is placed well behind the striping truck. This will give the new paint the few minutes it needs to dry and keep you from tracking fresh paint across the lanes and damaging the new stripes. It also will prevent paint from getting onto your vehicle.
•· If you drive through wet paint, which is water-based, clean your car as quickly as possible with a high-powered water hose such as those used in car washes.
For more information about roadway striping or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central. Follow the MoDOT Central Missouri District on Facebook for project updates.
