May 16, 2006
Department of
Transportation
Commonwealth News
Bureau
Room 308, Main
Capitol
Harrisburg, PA
17120
CONTACT: Alison Hischak
717-783-8800
PENNDOT TO PROVIDE FRESH COAT OF
PAINT
ON ROAD NEAR YOU – FOR
SAFETY
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania
Department of Transportation will paint a total of 124,000 traffic-line miles
this spring and summer – enough to circle the Earth five times – to increase
driver safety.
The effort started last month and
will finish in October.
“Keeping motorists safe is PennDOT’s
number-one goal,” said PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E. “Many motorists
may take traffic lines for granted, but without them, our roads and highways can
become difficult to navigate at night or during bad weather. The new yellow and
white reflective lines will help travelers arrive
safely.”
Twenty-one paint crews will apply
more than 1.8 million gallons of yellow and white line paint to guide motorists
along the state’s roads. Crews use equipment to heat the paint to 120-degrees
Fahrenheit and use spray guns to paint the lines. While the paint is still wet,
glass beads are poured onto the lines for reflectivity.
According to PennDOT, approximately
12 million pounds of glass beads will be used this year. Every gallon of paint
that is applied requires seven gallons of the reflective
beads.
The width of the center lines on
interstate and other limited access highways is six inches, while the center and
edge lines on other state highways is four inches wide. PennDOT will spend
about $20 million on its line-painting project, which includes paint supplies,
equipment and personnel.
Motorists are reminded to use caution
and stay at least 100 feet behind an operating paint truck and not to pass until
directed to do so. On the occasion a motorist crosses fresh paint lines before
being instructed to do so, paint may be splattered on their vehicle. If paint
does get onto a vehicle, PennDOT recommends the following methods of removing
the water-based paint:
·
If the paint is fresh (less than a few hours), wash the painted
area with a high-pressure hose, located at most commercial car
washes.
·
Motorists can also use a commercial latex paint remover, such as
Goof Off, which is available at most hardware stores.
·
If the paint has hardened for more than a few hours, saturate a
rag, or preferably cheese cloth with denatured alcohol, and hold, do not rub the
spots, then wash the area with a high-pressure hose.
For more information, visit PennDOT’s website at www.dot.state.pa.us.
####