Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the timing of the pilot program.
Southern California transportation officials are testing a new way to encourage drivers to slow down in construction zones and, based on early results, they say it’s working.
The Caltrans pilot program began on Highway 5 in northern San Diego County, where drivers began encountering orange and white lane striping as part of the Build North County Corridor Project at the end of 2021.
The $987 million project involves adding carpool and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in both directions of the highway between Highway 78 in Oceanside and Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach, an area prone to heavy traffic jams.
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“I was curious and didn’t know what to think about it,” said Josh Rose, who was visiting from Utah and noticed the scratches while driving from Los Angeles to San Diego earlier this month. “They certainly got my attention.”
Caltrans says the contrasting colors are designed to increase awareness of the construction zone and “enhance safety” for drivers and highway personnel. Officials hope drivers will not only slow down but also see the lines more clearly in rain and fog.
So how’s it going so far? Extremely good, Caltrans told KTLA 5 News.
“Recent survey data shows that approximately 83.18% of road users traveling in the orange band were more aware of the fact that they were in a construction zone,” said Steve Welborn, director of public affairs for Caltrans.
The survey found that 72% of drivers slowed down after seeing the contrasting stripes, and almost 75% found the lines easier to see at night.
Although he wasn’t sure of the exact meaning of the lines, Rose assumed they were construction-related due to their familiar color, and to that end, they worked.
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“The nice thing is they eliminate questions about the length of the construction zone,” he said. “Sometimes you go through the entire construction zone, but the sign to leave the construction zone doesn’t appear until later. With the color changing lanes, there is no reason to go wrong.
The pilot program will continue until the North County construction project is completed sometime in 2025. After that, Welborn said, drivers could see the lines pop up elsewhere.
“Continued use is to be determined, but our goal is to implement this as standard practice across the state,” he said.
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