Barrie Looking for Effective Alternatives to Banned Road Paint

Having some trouble staying in your lane while driving around Barrie? Might be because there are no lines to keep you on the straight and narrow! A provincial ruling not long ago means longer-lasting road paint cannot be used any longer for its environmental impact.

“Line painting is a bit of a pet peeve of mine,” says Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman, “a few years ago, the Province of Ontario mandated that we had to stop using oil-based paints.” The province was concerned over the emissions produced when the paint is sprayed. “That is an environmental issue, and I don’t discount that, but you can’t then say ‘well you’ve got to use a product that doesn’t last’ because then we end up with road where you can’t see the lines!”

Lehman says the City has been experimenting with different types of paint, hoping to find a solution that doesn’t rub off during heavy Canadian winters. “The line painting that’s going down now, we believe it will last a lot longer, it certainly tested that way.”

The City has already commenced line painting around Barrie.