And while we can’t say if proper road marking would have prevented that accident it could have. That’s why it’s good news for road safety tonight that the Ministry of Works has a line marking machine. We take the markings on highways for granted but you probably don’t know that for years – the Ministry of Works has been without a line marking machine. It was costing government millions and probably costing a few lives since government couldn’t always afford the $10,000 per mile which private contractors were charging.
But all that has changed because government has acquired a new computerized line marker. Today it was put to the test on the stretch of the Western Highway in Cotton Tree Village. We spoke to Minister of Works Boots Martinez along with Chief Engineer Lennox Bradley and CEO Cadet Henderson.
Cadet Henderson, CEO – Ministry of Works
“This is one of the finest of its kind. It is full computerized. It has a camera, it has monitor where you have a rear view mirror. There is like a DVD screen where the operator and the technician can see the line in relation to the guideline, because we have a natural string that finds the location. Also it can handle up to three lines simultaneously, it can handle three different colours. It also applies a glass bead which is a dust that makes the paint reflective and it is just superior.
Its been many many years now that the Ministry of Works has not had the capability to install our own lines and its unaffordable in a way if we have to go to contract. Right now to do 400 miles which is required to be done, it requires millions of dollars. With this machine in our possession now it is just a matter of buying the paint and the glass beads and we’ve put together a team. We won’t have this machine parked sitting idle. We bought it, it will get continuous use.”
Lennox Bradley, Chief Engineer
“This machine is very important because the Ministry is determined to try and enhance safety for all users on our roadways and this is one of the first steps that we have acquired the machine and thereafter we line mark our larger highways.”
Hon. Anthony Boots Martinez, Minister of Works
“With a move like this for sure, we will be saving lives not only here but countrywide we are on the move now to line mark the whole country. With this modern machine I think that we can line mark this whole country and make it more user friendly to both motorists and the pedestrians.”
The line marker can do up to 8 miles per day. It was purchased with funds from the Ministry of Work’s $2 million budget that was allocated last year.
