New city crosswalk striping stands out

Sisters’ new Cascade Avenue crosswalks are hard to miss. In fact, driving into town from the west a driver can see every one of them.

Visibility is the purpose behind the new “European block style” crosswalks installed last week.

According to Sisters Public Works director Gary Frazee, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) asked the city to participate as a test site for the new style of crosswalk.

Durability is another feature. According to Frazee, the crosswalks are applied by “thermoplasty.” The rubbery white striping material is laid down in segments and then burned into the asphalt with torches.

Frazee said the materials cost $2,500 and the city contracted with Moyer Affordable Striping to do the application.

“There was a 10-man crew that worked all night from 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 and they finished about 6:30-7 a.m. (Thursday morning),” Frazee said.

The new-style crosswalks don’t come cheap, but Frazee thinks they’ll be worth the extra money up front.

“It costs a lot more than (paint) striping,” he said. “But it lasts four or six times longer. We used to stripe two times a year.”

The stripes are laid out so that the tires of passing vehicles pass between them, which reduces wear and tear on the striping.

But the most important benefit is a hoped-for improvement in pedestrian safety. The new crosswalks offer a nine-foot pathway as opposed to the traditional six feet — and they’re hard to miss.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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