News
Faded road markings leave drivers befuddled
View(s):By Dilushi Wijesinghe
Motorists are facing increasing risks as several key road markings have been nearly erased, leaving drivers unsure of lanes and traffic directions as the once-visible lane markers and pedestrian crossings have become nearly impossible to identify in some areas.
Asanka Dharmarathna
The Sunday Times observed that several road markings, especially near pedestrian crossings, had significantly faded, creating a safety risk for both motorists and pedestrians. In some areas, the yellow lines, which were previously covered by the existing white lines, were also visible.
“We have a map to track the reflectivity of the road markings, allowing us to identify which lines need redrawing in the coming year,” explained Engineer Asanka Dharmarathna of the Road Development Authority (RDA). However, he noted that limited budget allocations and insufficient funding have led to the neglect of essential maintenance.
“We have prioritised constructing new roads over maintaining existing ones,” he said, although he could not give a clear reason for this approach.
“What we should be focusing on instead is maintaining the current roads – filling the potholes and clearing the walkways,” he said, admitting that most pedestrian crossings are not visible at night.
He explained that poor road delineation (road signs and markings) could create hazardous situations, as drivers lack clear guidelines to follow.
Eng. Dharmarathna also said that even the markings on the expressway have been worn out, adding that discussions were being held to find funds for this.
“The road markings are made from thermoplastic materials blended with glass beads to enhance reflectivity, ensuring better visibility at night. This improves safety by helping drivers navigate more easily in low-light conditions,” he explained.
Missing lines and fast fading markings on main roads in the city
“When a new road is planned, a geometric design is first created, then submitted to the IRSTM (Infrastructure Road Safety and Traffic Management) Division for a thorough review. During this process, the design is carefully assessed to ensure its compliance with the Motor Traffic Act, which is grounded in the principles of the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic,” said Eng. Dharmarathna.
Highlighting the importance of road markings, he explained that diamond signs are placed 50 meters before a pedestrian crossing to signal its presence, which he says has helped in reducing accidents on pedestrian crossings.
He explained the significance of the markings of the edge lines (single continuous lines on either side of the roads) and the center lines (dotted and continuous lines differentiating lanes) and the double continuous lines. “If it’s a dotted line, you can cut in and turn right or even make a U-turn. However, if it’s a single continuous line, you can’t cut in, though you can still make a right turn. With double continuous lines, neither of these actions are permitted.”
Deputy Inspector General of Police of Traffic and Road Safety Region Indika Hapugoda however maintained that no major accidents have taken place due to unclear road signs. He said discussions are in place to redraw faded road markings.
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