When the Road Disappears: Understanding Wet-Night Visibility and Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity

July 2, 2026
Listed in Highway Safety

Most drivers have experienced it at least once. You're driving on a familiar road after dark when the rain begins to fall. At first, visibility remains acceptable, but as the pavement becomes saturated, the lane markings seem to fade away or disappear entirely. Suddenly, you're relying on the taillights of the vehicle ahead, roadside mailboxes, guardrails, or instinct to determine where your lane actually is. For many drivers, particularly older motorists, this experience is more than un…continue

How Often Should Road Lines Be Painted? A Deep Dive into Pavement Marking Materials, Costs, and Service Life

July 2, 2026
Listed in Highway Safety

Anyone who has driven during a nighttime rainstorm has likely experienced the unsettling feeling of suddenly losing sight of the pavement markings that define the travel lane. The centerline disappears into the darkness, the edge line fades away, and drivers are left relying on muscle memory, roadside objects, or the headlights of the vehicle ahead to determine where the roadway actually is. For motorists, it is uncomfortable and stressful. For highway departments, it represents a safety issue t…continue

Understanding the Life Expectancy of Corrugated Metal Stormwater Drainage Pipe

June 18, 2026
Listed in Stormwater Management

Stormwater drainage systems are among the most important (and often most overlooked) assets owned by municipalities. Hidden beneath roads, driveways, and rights-of-way, culverts and drainage pipes quietly move stormwater away from infrastructure and help prevent flooding, washouts, and road failures. One of the most common materials used for stormwater conveyance is corrugated metal pipe (CMP). For decades, municipalities have relied on corrugated steel pipe because it is durable, relatively ine…continue

Why Highway Departments Sometimes Fix Things That Aren’t “Their Responsibility”

June 9, 2026
Listed in Other Assets

One of the most common questions asked of highway and public works departments is, “Who is responsible for this?” In many cases, the answer seems straightforward. The municipality maintains the public road, while homeowners and property owners are responsible for their own private property and infrastructure. In reality, things are often far more complicated. Highway departments regularly find themselves dealing with infrastructure, drainage problems, safety hazards, and property dam…continue

Who Owns the Culvert Under Your Driveway?

June 8, 2026
Listed in Stormwater Management

Homeowners often assume that because a driveway connects to a public road, the culvert underneath it must belong to the town, county, or state. In most cases, however, that assumption is incorrect. Typically, the property owner owns the driveway culvert and is responsible for its maintenance, repair, and replacement. But as with many things in public works, the real-world situation is not always black and white. Municipalities frequently become involved with driveway culverts even when they are …continue