What are all those paint marks on the pavement? Why are there wooden stakes on the shoulder? Beginning in early November, San Juan County Public Works will begin installing new Regulatory and Warning signs on Lopez Island’s County Roads. Regulatory signs include stop, yield, and speed limit signs. Warning signs include turn/curve, pedestrian warning, school bus stop ahead, and Chevron signs.

These signs are being installed as part of a federal mandated program to improve safety by replacing traffic signs nationwide with more reflective signs. Increasing reflectivity is important because most accidents occur at night. The “Run-Off Road and Intersection Safety Project – Sign Replacement Program” is a federally funded grant program that will bring the County into compliance with national sign standards. These standards increase awareness at the most accident prone sites and critical areas, create consistency in sign placement and usage, and increase sign visibility for older drivers and night time driving.

Through this program the county will reduce the number of Regulatory and Warning signs on Lopez by 22 percent, from 519 to 405. Before installing new signs, all utilities must be located to make sure that none of them are hit. This includes placing a stake where the sign is to be installed and spray painting white locate marks on the road shoulder. The various utilities use orange, red, blue and green paint. That is why there are so many marks on the road.

Installation is expected to last for approximately one month and is being carried out by county personnel.