SIKESTON –The Missouri Department of Transportation’s (MoDOT) work to re-stripe various state routes throughout Southeast Missouri is underway, with the focus currently on minor routes. In late May, crews will shift their attention to striping major routes (Interstate 55, Route 60 and Route 67) and state routes in Southeast Missouri’s cities and towns.
As work is underway, drivers should be prepared to slow down significantly when coming up behind a slow-moving striping caravan. Striping in cities and towns will be completed overnight to help minimize the impact to travelers.
The striping trucks move between 8 and 12 mph when work is underway. A driver traveling at highway speed can approach a slow-moving striping caravan much quicker than he or she expects because of significant differences in speed.
Drivers are asked to watch for yellow MoDOT trucks with flashing strobe lights and boards with flashing arrows and messages.
MoDOT encourages drivers to use caution in and around the striping equipment and crew workers. Here are driving tips to remember when coming upon a striping project:
- On multi-lane highways, be prepared to slow down and pull around the striping train by merging carefully into the open lane. Avoid pulling in among the trucks in the work train to keep paint from getting onto your vehicle and to avoid damaging the newly painted stripe.
- On two-lane highways, stay behind the last truck in the striping train, placed well behind the striping truck. This will give the new paint the few minutes it needs to dry. If traffic backs up behind the striping train, MoDOT crews will pull out of the way where it is safe to do so and let congestion clear.
- If you drive through wet paint, which is water-based, clean your car as quickly as possible with a high-powered water hose, such as those used in car washes.
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