Line Painting

Standards for pavement markings in Ontario are defined in the Ontario Traffic Manual.

The line painting of roadways in Sault Ste. Marie is maintained by a contractor hired by the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

Yellow centerline, white lane and edge line markings are painted once a year - usually mid-June once the street sweeping program is completed.

Several years ago, the City's line painting operation converted to water-based paints with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in an effort to decrease the impact to the environment.

Newly constructed and resurfaced roads are marked as soon as possible after paving is complete, although there may be delays due to weather or ongoing construction activities. Care should be taken in unmarked areas.

Intersection markings (stop bars, crosswalks and arrows) are applied using paint and thermoplastic. The thermoplastic is far more durable than paint and can better stand up to the extreme wear these markings are subject to. Thermoplastic markings have a lifespan of five to ten years. The painted markings have to be reapplied annually.

The Municipality has approximately 211 kilometers of yellow center line, 117 kilometers of white lane lines and 180 kilometers of white edge lines painted on an annual basis.

Our line painting contractor normally works with 2-3 line painting trucks plus buffer vehicles to perform this work. The complete paint program is completed within a 48 hour period. On an average hot, dry day in the summer, dry time for road paint is approximately three to four minutes; however, this number increases with factors such as temperature and humidity.

When approaching a line painting operation, it is recommended that vehicles wait until the line painting truck finishes painting the section of road on which it is travelling. The sections are intentionally kept short for the purpose of allowing motorists the opportunity to pass at the next major cross street. Paint trucks must operate at low speeds of 10 to 20 km per hour in order to paint the lines effectively. Stay behind the buffer vehicle, be patient, and seek an alternate route, if possible.

Drivers who pass either the buffer vehicle or line painting truck, risk damage to their vehicles and the new road markings. A common sight on freshly painted roads is "tracking", caused by impatient motorists passing the paint truck. Driving on fresh paint can compromise the quality of the reflective paint on the roadway, which can make it less visible.

Driving on fresh paint can also cause extensive damage to your vehicle. Because road paint contains glass beads to increase its reflective properties, it is not easily removed from the vehicle. If your vehicle is marked by line paint, it is recommended that you use a pressure washer on the affected areas immediately.

Note: The Public Works and Transportation Department does not remove paint from vehicles.

Contact Us

Phone
Landfill General Inquiry:
705-759-1567
PWT Office:
705-759-5201

Email
pwt@cityssm.on.ca

Fax
705-541-7010

TTY
1-877-688-5530

Location
128 Sackville Road
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
P6B 4T6

Our Team