New Safety Markings Added To Highway

New Safety Markings Added To Highway
New

OCEAN CITY — Prior to the peak tourism season in Ocean City, the State Highway Administration (SHA) in partnership with the Town of Ocean City is installing curb-top markings along Coastal Highway between 52nd and 59th streets.

About 100 yellow and black stencils advise “No Pedestrian X’ing” along Coastal Highway between marked crosswalks, where pedestrians may be tempted to cross unsafely. Crews will finish installing the curb markings this week. Efforts and programs to protect pedestrians are closely coordinated between SHA, the Town of Ocean City’s Public Works Department and the Ocean City Police Department.

The population of Ocean City swells between June and August to such an extent that it becomes the second most populated city in the state. As a result the nine-mile Coastal Highway corridor becomes crowded with drivers and pedestrians, some of whom are not familiar with the region. Ocean City Police reports reveal the primary cause of pedestrian crashes to be failure of pedestrians to cross at marked crosswalks, or walking in a crosswalk, but against the traffic signal.

The “thermoplastic” markings are the same material as stamped pavement crosswalks, not painted, which wear out faster. Each marking has a usable life of between 10 to 20 years.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.