Drivers alongside Interstate 5 in northern San Diego County, California (or, because the locals name it, “the 5”) could have observed a four-mile part with each the usual white lane markings in addition to orange ones. That is a part of a Caltrans pilot program to assist drivers know that they’re in a building zone in an effort to reinforce security for each drivers and building staff, reviews KTLA 5. The outcomes of this ongoing take a look at are beginning to are available, and it seems to achieve success.
“Current survey knowledge reveals that roughly 83.18% of highway customers who traveled within the orange striping skilled elevated consciousness of being in a building zone,” mentioned Caltrans Public Affairs Supervisor Steve Welborn.
The survey additionally discovered that 72% of drivers slowed down after seeing the distinction striping, and almost 75% discovered the traces simpler to see at night time.
That is regardless of many drivers not understanding what the non-standard orange traces imply, regardless of them having been in use in the Construct North County Hall Challenge since late 2021. They nonetheless realized it was one thing uncommon, and orange typically means one thing construction-related that is value slowing down for, which a lot of them did.
We’re extra accustomed to yellow and white lane markings, that are at present the one colours accepted by the U.S. Division of Transportation. However building orange is an attention grabbing shade whose rarity can assist. It is a fixed reminder that you simply’re in a building zone, and that you must decelerate and pay additional consideration. It is also a fantastic answer for these instances once they’ve completed an incomplete job eradicating earlier lane markings, leaving you and driver help methods questioning precisely which lane markings you are purported to observe. The orange traces clearly point out, “You are in a building zone, and that is the place you must go for now.”
A relentless reminder
California is not the primary to experiment with orange stripes in building zones. In response to Street Man Rob (a fantastic YouTube channel when you’re an infrastructure nerd like me), Laurel County, Kentucky, tried portray orange traces straight over the white and yellow ones in 2019. Though the variety of crashes elevated barely, the variety of accidents was considerably decrease. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, tried utilizing orange lane markings so that they might be seen higher than white ones on snow and salt-covered roads. This labored properly throughout the day, however the traces had been virtually invisible at sundown and at night time. This may occasionally additionally clarify the slight enhance in general crashes that Laurel County skilled.
This possible knowledgeable California’s resolution to make use of each orange and white traces, which solves this drawback. I’ve seen California use black and white lane markings on concrete freeways. The concrete is mild in shade, and the white traces, alone, might be exhausting to see at instances, particularly in Southern California’s frequent vibrant daylight. The black distinction stands out clearly in these areas, making the lanes extra seen. The same orange and white mixture is not an excessive amount of of a stretch from what drivers ought to already be used to.
Caltrans is testing two variations of those lane markings. On the southbound aspect of I-5, it’s utilizing an orange stripe painted in entrance of the usual white stripe. On the northbound aspect, it makes use of two orange stripes sandwiching the conventional white stripe, like a creamsicle Oreo. The four-mile stretch of I-5 close to San Diego is at present the one place these traces are in use, however the profitable trial may imply they will begin showing elsewhere within the state.
