Those handy white and yellow lines that keep you in your lane while driving, and marks city crosswalks and bike lanes may seem more faded than usual this year.
That's because of severe weather in Texas last month. It damaged numerous chemical-producing facilities that feed into the supply chain for traffic paint.
As a result, several key raw material suppliers have indicated they will not be able to fulfill orders on time.
Usually, City road crews are busy making sure the markings, erased by weather, snow plows, and vehicle tires, get a fresh coat.
But this year road line painting in many municipalities, including North Bay, may be delayed or cancelled if suppliers can't fill orders.
See: Fading traffic markings get a summer facelift
The shortage mostly stems from a Texas plant owned by Dow Chemical — the largest supplier of highway paint.
Paint will barely last one year because environmental regulations forced municipalities to use water-based paint as opposed to oil-based paint, which used to last longer. Road paint doesn't last so it's got to be done sometimes twice a year.
Much of the paint work for North Bay is contracted out.
Studies have shown that more than 60 per cent of traffic fatalities are caused by straying drivers.
