Drivers: Repaving project makes I-40 stretch dangerous

Raleigh, N.C. — A repaving project on Interstate 40 has some drivers struggling to see the lines that separate lanes.

North Carolina Department of Transportation Resident Engineer Jeff Allen said he has received many calls from drivers about the problem area – which stretches for more than a mile between Harrison Avenue and Interstate 540.

“The calls I have received just say they cannot see the lines,” Allen said.

A repaving project started in the area earlier this year is wrapping up. While the new asphalt is almost completely down, Allen said, reflectors are not in place.

Driver Miguel Suarez said cars come dangerously close to one another at night.

“You are best to just follow the car in front of you,” said driver Mike Peel.

White dotted lines currently mark the lanes. Allen said a bright coating and reflectors are not down yet because another week of work is left on the area.

“If we put them down prior to finishing the paving, we do risk damaging, not only the markers, but the reflectors,” Allen said.

Reflectors will be installed next month at the earliest and the reflective line-coating will be applied in the spring when temperatures are warmer, Allen said.

To help drivers, a fresh coat of regular paint will be put down in the next two to three weeks. DOT officials said recent weather has caused delays in the progress.

View I-40 construction causes dangers, drivers say in a larger map

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Up north in NY State, upstate as well as NYC Long Island, NY DOT crews used reflective paints for the roadways, no need for reflectors. I recall the paints used had some type of additive applied to the wet paint that caused the reflective properties.

We need this type of markers here in NC.

I agree the reflectors are expensive to install and replace after the snow plows rip them off of the pavement. Just like on I-540, the reflectors were torn up over three times and replaced.

james27613
November 13, 2009 5:22 p.m.

Driving on route 1 South towards Holly Springs, the stretch where it's 4 lanes near Cary Parkway and Tryon Road, I can't tell what lane I'm on since the lines aren't visible there in the rain either. It's very frightening.

I suggest staying home then. Also don't ever travel any dirt roads because those aren't market either. I always find myself lost on those roads. I have no idea where I should be driving. Sometimes I just end up in the middle of a field next to a cow wondering where I went wrong and cursing the gov't for not marking the roads.

Howie275
November 13, 2009 2:19 p.m.

If you need reflectors to see how to stay in your lane you shouldn't be driving period. The only thing needed are the white lines. When the first big snowfall occurs this winter all of them will be scraped away. Learn how to drive folks.

007KnightRider
November 13, 2009 2:03 p.m.

"Oh, and you whining it didn't need resurfacing; yes it did. When a new lane is added, everything gets resurfaced to cover up old paint stripes and even all the lanes up."

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I had thought that the I-40 repaving being discussed was part of a shoulder strengthening project, not adding a lane.

It would seem kind of daft to me to add another lane before sorting out the Wade Avenue rush-hour disaster that has already existed for 10-15 years longer than it should have...i.e. dumping 4-5 lanes of eastbound traffic onto a 2-lane section for six miles before opening it up to 3-lanes after Crossroads.

Of course, looking at the project website, it seems even more daft for them to design for an eventual eight-lane solution rather than just going ahead and doing it straightway. They're widening the bridges to handle it...may as well fix the problem right because I can't imagine it being more expensive to lay four new lanes now than to do it by halves and then do it again in a few years...

NeverSurrender
November 13, 2009 1:08 p.m.

It looks to me like that if the states government an it's associated agencys were really as broke as they say they are that they would have to quit the letting of all of these state contracts that arent being adminstrated in a useful an cost effective maner thus mearly adding to the budgetary defecit. corrective action in the area would go a long ways in assisting with the budgetary shortages looks to me like thank you

pbjbeach
November 13, 2009 10:59 a.m.