State transportation officials say they intend to keep using the reflective lane striping tape that has peeled up along some heavily traveled interstates around metro Atlanta, despite recent problems.
Tests are pending to determine whether the peeling was caused by an installation error or manufacturing error. In recent weeks, drivers have reported seeing peeled-up striping on I-285 near I-20; on I-20 near Covington; on Ga. 400 South north of the Perimeter; and on I-85 South just south of I-285.
Some of the tape could be found wadded up on the shoulder, while at other locations it was still affixed to the road but stretched into a squiggly line. The problems occurred with the solid line along the inner and outer edges of the highway, not the white dash marks between lanes.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has since learned that 3M Stamark reflective tape has a monopoly for certain uses in Georgia. It’s currently the only product of its kind that GDOT uses for edge lines because it is the only kind that meets GDOT specifications.
Meg Pirkle, the chief engineer for Georgia Department of Transportation, told the newspaper in an exclusive interview Monday that the product has been widely used around the state for 15 years. It is warrantied to last six years, but typically lasts up to 10 years, she said.
Stamark tape is also about five times more expensive than another product that was previously used for edge lines called thermoplastic. But state experts say thermoplastic isn’t perfect either. It chips and wears down, and needs to be replaced every few years.
Pirkle said that since the Stamark tape needs to be replaced less often, and because replacement costs are substantial in high-traffic areas where lane closures are required and extra safety precautions for workers are needed, the life cycle of the tape is cheaper than that of thermoplastic.
More importantly, Pirkle said, it is the only highway marking tape that is reflective in rainy conditions.
“Apart from the cost the difference, there is also the safety aspect of having something reflective in wet weather, and even during rain,” Pirkle said. “That is a huge benefit.”
While the state waits on answers about what caused the tape to peel, Pirkle said that GDOT has no plans to stop using it. Instead, the department has asked 3M to provide new training to highway road contractors to make sure they are properly installing the tape.
The Stamark tape has to be installed under exacting conditions. For example, it cannot be installed in weather conditions that are wet, or over old concrete.
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