DES MOINES (AP) -- Iowa is scrambling for options as a nationwide shortage of road paint for marking highway stripes hits home.
The Iowa Department of Transportation says roads where pavement markings are in the worst shape will be painted.
At issue is a global shortage of raw materials used to produce acrylic waterborne pavement marking paints. Prices of materials have soared and could go higher.
In a typical year, crews repaint the center lines on all 9,400 miles of Iowa's highway system. The edge lines are painted if they were not painted the year before.
Transportation officials say they're developing contingency plans to prioritize use of limited paint supplies. They're also identifying alternative materials.Iowa is scrambling for options as a nationwide shortage of road paint for marking highway stripes hits home.
The Iowa Department of Transportation says roads where pavement markings are in the worst shape will be painted.
At issue is a global shortage of raw materials used to produce acrylic waterborne pavement marking paints. Prices of materials have soared and could go higher.
In a typical year, crews repaint the center lines on all 9,400 miles of Iowa's highway system. The edge lines are painted if they were not painted the year before.
Transportation officials say they're developing contingency plans to prioritize use of limited paint supplies. They're also identifying alternative materials.
(Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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