COLFAX, Wash. — Have you driven on Highway 195 south to Pullman recently? If so, you have probably noticed something is majorly off with the striping on the road. Several markings are slanted with many being completely uneven! The road has caused confusion and distractions for many drivers.
KREM 2 reached out to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to see what is going on with the striping.
The road in question is a two-mile stretch on Highway 195 south just south of Colfax on the way to Pullman.
WSDOT says the project began towards the end of July. They have been putting new pavement in overnight and the stripes they put down are temporary. Right now, the roadway is in the midst of a three week curing process before the next step can take place.
Ryan Overton from WSDOT said, “Starting next week they’re going to go back through, do the permanent striping. They’re going to go out with a survey crew to mark exactly where those spots will be, so it’ll be a nice and straight line starting next week.”
The temporary lines were put down by an individual contractor and there is not a template or format that is followed by line markers who place temporary lines on the pavement.
According to WSDOT officials, the goal for that time before the finished product is to get reflective markers in place. The officials added that the current tape on the road will be easily removed. Overton said, “When we put the striping down too early it can actually peel right off the roadway so we wait until that last cure period has ended that way we know for sure it will stick and that way it will be bright and visible for drivers going forward.”
WSDOT said the permanent and straight lines should be put in by next week.
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