With the number of road construction projects happening around the Valley right now, chances are you’ve driven through an active construction zone or two recently.

Maybe you’ve noticed the lane lines in some of these construction zones look a little different. A little … temporary?

That’s because they probably are.

Before work can even begin on some projects, travel lanes must be re-configured in the work zone so motorists can drive around construction and on through to their destination. This is a temporary shift, but necessary for a productive and safe work zone.

Work is complete on this section of the Loop 202 (Santan) Freeway in Chandler near Alma School Road. The pavement "scars" are gone.

Shifting the configuration of the travel lanes is a two-step process.

First, ADOT crews grind out the existing lane lines. Next, workers use a temporary-tape product to re-stripe the roadway into its temporary configuration for construction.

The grinding process can leave behind a pavement “scar,” which can appear to some motorists as a lane line, especially when the sun hits the pavement at certain angles. Some drivers might even observe two visible sets of lane markings because they are seeing the pavement scars and the temporary-tape lane lines.

When crews shift the travel lanes back to their original configuration, crews remove the temporary-tape lane markings and will put permanent tape lane lines where they belong. Removing the temporary tape lane lines does not leave behind scars on the pavement.

The process ADOT uses to mark temporary lane configurations is not uncommon during construction and is compliant with state and federal standards. Extensive signage is always posted to notify drivers that they are in an active construction zone that requires driving with a heightened sense of caution and obeying posted speed limits.

‘Why are the cones and barricades still up, but no one is working?!?!?’

If you’ve ever driven by an empty freeway work zone, you might have wondered this yourself.

But, despite how things may appear, there still is a risk to the traveling public, which means those barricades are very necessary.

And, just because workers aren’t present, doesn’t mean work has stopped. Often, there is a cure time for work that has just been completed. Rubberized asphalt, for instance, needs to set four to six hours before a car can drive on it to prevent it from being damaged.

Likewise, if a project involves removing or pumping underground water from a job site (in order to drill for a pier column for example) this process must take place prior to crews starting their work above ground. While this type of “unseen” work is happening, barricades, cones and concrete barriers will remain in place to keep the public safe and the project on schedule.

In addition to the “behind the scenes” work, motorists also may be unaware of dangerous work zone conditions such as open trenches, heavy equipment, or unsafe roadway conditions. Each scenario requires barricades, cones and barriers to remain in place even when workers aren’t present and during non-working hours to protect motorists.

Even after hours, ADOT had an obligation to ensure the public’s safety by keeping people and cars out of the work zone! For more on work zone safety and to learn some tips on how to maneuver through a work site, visit our 'Slow Down, Arizona!' web page.