Highway Paint Shortage Forces
Use Of Virtual White Lines
Richieville News Service – WASHINGTON, D.C.
An acute shortage of traffic paint has forced state and federal transportation officials to resort to the unusual step of replacing actual white lines on roads and highways with virtual ones.
“We ran out of paint last week, ” said Martha Vandella, a maintenance supervisor for the California Department of Transportation,”so we contacted Google and asked them to put a stripe on Google Maps.”
The problem is the result of a shortage of a key ingredient in traffic striping paint, methyl methacrylate. Manufacturers of the compound, including Dow Chemical, are scrambling to increase production. In the meantime, according to Ms. Vandella, drivers will have to use Blackberries, laptop computers or other Internet devices to determine the location of highway lanes.
“Of course, as usual, any phone use while driving must be hands-free,” she pointed out .”And iPhone users will have to be extra careful about staying in their lane. We all know how spotty AT&T service is. “
“Of course, as usual, any phone use while driving must be hands-free,” she pointed out .”And iPhone users will have to be extra careful about staying in their lane. We all know how spotty AT&T service is. “
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