PETERSBURG, Va. -- It is an issue that becomes more clear as your visibility decreases.
Reflective road markers are put on some Central Virginia roads and highways to help drivers maintain their lanes in fog, rain and the dark of night. Some drivers asked CBS 6 to investigate why some roads had these reflective markers embedded into the pavement and others did not.
The answer, it turned out, was based on federal criteria.
"We look at the type of road it is, whether or not it's an interstate, a primary or secondary road," Virginia Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jessica Cowardin said. "The traffic volume on the road [also plays a factor, as does] the speed limit on the road and the lighting on the road."
When Petersburg re-paves Route 460 from Interstate 95 to the Prince George County line in the next few months, reflective markings might be added.
"We'll assess it and it is something we are considering," Petersburg Director of Public Works Steven Hicks said.
Henrico County officials said they followed the same criteria VODT followed for roads maintained by the county.
Both VDOT and Henrico officials said if you believed a road could use reflective markers to improve safety, you should contact them to conduct a traffic survey.
