EDGE-MARKED ROADS

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31462, 31 August 1967, Page 6

EDGE-MARKED ROADS

Effect On Driving

"The Frew” Special Service WELLINGTON, August 30.

Cars travelled 6in to 15in closer to the centre line of roads at night than during the day, irrespective of whether or not the sides of the seal were marked with white lines, said Mr R. S. M. Dunn, a senior engineer in toe Ministry of Works, at the New Zealand roading symposium. Four types of edge-marking were tested at two sites, but no particular edge-marking produced an effect different from no edge-marking, Mr Dunn said. However, the study showed that there was a significant shift of cars toward the centre line of the road at night, irrespective of edgemarking and differences between the courses taken, by cars and commercial vehicles. Marking gave improved visibility Of the edge of toe pavement and, together with the centre line, clearly defined a path for a driver. If it could be proved that edge-marking tended to reduce the variability of vehicle positions within toe pavement area, shift vehicles toward the edge, or keep vehicles from wandering on to the metal shoulders, then those benefits could be evaluated against toe relatively high cost of marking.