WINNIPEG — The bright green paint being added to Pembina Highway this week is a bike lane tester. The city is testing a material that has proven to better withstand the harsh Winnipeg winters.
“It really stands out,” said Wes Delaney with traffic services. “It’s a real visual item, plus it has an aggregate on the side so it helps give the cyclist some traction.”
A common complaint among Winnipeg drivers is faded road lines after the snow melts. Two years ago the city painted the road lines on a stretch of Pembina Highway with methyl methacrylate to see if it would last longer. It is about 10 times the cost of the regular paint, but far more effective.
“It’s a big cost difference between the two materials that’s why you wouldn’t use it through the whole city just specialty locations where there’s high traffic volumes,” said Delaney.
The city will revisit the green bike lane throughout the year to see how well the paint holds up, and whether it is beneficial for both cyclists and drivers. If it is effective, the city may consider painting some of the bike lanes downtown.
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