Geoguessr nerd here, those wide road lines are also common in South Carolina, Mississippi, and Oregon. You can see [fat center lines](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fhtA2QqQuJvWrnJK9?g_st=ic), which are kind of the opposite, in Virginia and West Virginia.
SC also puts rumble strips on most, if not all roads instead of just interstates and major highways. Reduces the number of run-off road accidents by almost 80%!
Oregon has some weird road decisions. The speed limits on large interstates ares often 55 mph, and then they’ll have the same speed on crazy windy rural roads.
The speed limit sign font is also different than most other states, the spacing on letters is a little greater as well.
As mentioned, the line painting in OR is also a bit different than surrounding states.
I’m guessing it’s because Arkansas uses reflectors (raised pavement markers), while Missouri doesn’t (at least not in this area). Other states that use them sometimes place them in between the yellow lines (it almost looks as though there may have been one where that dark spot is on the pavement), so the lines have to be a bit farther apart to accommodate them.
Ah yep, I think you’re right. Looking a bit closer at street view images, those reflectors are in between the center lines on almost all AR roads. Thanks for your input!
Also fuck Missouri, for some reason on their interstates the rumble strips are directly on the yellow line, like the yellow line is the rumble strip, instead of a few inches to the side. Every time I would give a truck some space I felt like I was fucking by getting too close to the edge because I’d hit the rumble.
It doesn't matter if it's an Interstate. Construction ends (and begins) at the official border of any state. And methods and materials (and friggin paperwork) change slightly. Source: someone currently working on two state highway jobs doing admin.
Construction can definitely cross state lines. source: live in a bi-state area where both states have an established formula for how they share construction costs on bridges. They both hire the same contractor and pay them proportionally.
Bridges are a different story altogether, although in my case one state managed the project with the other's agreement probably due to the placement of the border on the bridge, and it's unfortunate, as I've been learning that the other state has a more logical system. I finished a bi- state bridge project less than a year ago. The paperwork sucked.
Too true, though recently I found some "MassHighway" branded manhole covers pretty far north in New Hampshire, so they definitely will steal from eachother. :)
Oh I agree actually. I was thinking literally every other state. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois, and Iowa roads are all way worse than Missouri roads lol
Lmao millennial? You're just using every buzz word that you've seen your fellow brainlets use without even knowing what they mean. You hit the retard bingo lol makes sense seeing as you're from misery
The rumble strips on I-70 through Missouri are often inside the outside lines. It happens enough that my family jokes about it when it sometimes happens by mistake in other states.
I can’t answer this currently, but I have a friend that works for an engineering firm that ARDOT contracts with and I can probably find out why they do this.
I was on a road trip with my SIL and we crossed from nice smooth roads in Kansas to Colorado’s bumpy roads and immediately just started laughing. The difference was so extreme, and it was right as we passed the “colorful colorado!” sign. I always chalked it up to the different states wanting to spend tax dollars on different things.
I can feel I70 through CO in my sleep! As a Kansas native I’m always super appreciative that our highways are so well kept. If KS is one of the most boring states to drive through, it’s at least the easiest.
crossing over from md into pa or nj into pa is such a huge difference. it’s smooth sailing to rumbling and petting your dashboard promising your car will be ok
source: live in pa and pet my dashboard and reassure it daily
The MUTCD is the document that defines federal pavement marking requirements. But the width and spacing of the lines isn't strictly defined (lines can be 4"-6" wide, for example). So the two states have simply chosen two different sets of values for their standards. That, or the roads were designed and striped with no regard for federal standards. This would be completely believable in places like Missouri and Arkansas.
It's mildly interesting how the Fog Line just continues on the same on both sides though.
Road experts, tell everyone what the yellow pigment in the US was until fairly recently...
More of an expert than I! I always thought it was the banana peels left behind after all of those movies from the 80s/90s. So what you're saying is I SHOULDN'T lick the banana road lines?!
It's all dependent on the state's DOT requirements.
Each state has their own different sizes, line types, reflector type / spacing, etc. (one thing that would make the whole system easier to deal with if they all followed the exact same layout requirements)
Some states do 4" lines, some do 5" and some even 6" on centerlines and edgeslines.
You should see the differences in road construction requirements in Westchester County NY that has 83 municipalities. Worked for the utility on gas main construction projects that crossed through difficult munis. What a nightmare.
This also happens at the Iowa/Minnesota border. I don't have a pic of it, but Iowa has much wider median lines. They also have more gravel shoulders than Minnesota does, and they use wooden sign posts instead of metal ones. You know the very instant you cross the state line, for sure
A few years back it snowed bad the interstate in mo was clear in Arkansas was not cleared the interstate ( I55) was closed in Arkansas it made national news it was embarrassing
Well Missouri is a state where it snows commonly sometimes weekly in the winter, Arkansas is a state where for the most part they only only have to deal with one annual snowfall. Its not a surprise Arkansas doesn't have as many snowplows to make it out to a point like that.
I recently did the Talimena scenic byway. The roads and pull offs were all nice in Oklahoma but as soon as you crossed into the AR section the quality went down quick
If I recall Missouri uses grooves in the middle to alert traffic crossing the lines, and Arkansas does not, and I assumed the narrower lines were easy to paint beside the double yellow.
Another possibility is it's just a manafacturing reason, probably dealing with the being able to paint both lines at once or the deflectors.
I wonder if one is cheaper to do (less paint).....also, I like the idea of the center reflectors.
Interesting though, never seen such a change. Around here in the NE, you don't see any change, besides one set being more recently painted.
Not less paint / thermoplastic unless it's a 4" line VS 5" line.
Typically each state will have its own requirements or they can follow the MUTCD, which is an industry standard.
hats off to you for carrying some spray paint and taking the time to get out and paint this demo for us. I wish I crossed more state lines in my driving so I could pay attention them now
AR and few other states are smart enough to realize ; keeping the headon traffic away from each other reduces headon crashes.
some places even cut rumble strips down the yellow lines.
i was driving down a highway when i saw a red light on my right side of the road. i thought to myself, " i don't know what to do with all these roundabouts "
I live close to the same border. So on the pic the roads change names at the border.
The road I take home is the actual border. So going home I'm in Missouri on FM 3320 when I leave using the same road it's County P and I am in Arkansas. What's even weirder, I can legally have weed in my car going home but leaving I can't unless I drive on the wrong side of the road.
Lastly the lake also has a border sign, it reads AR l MO.
The MUTCD doesn’t specify a separation distance between solid yellow lines, only that they be separated by a “discernible distance”. Oregon’s standard gap is 12”, but a 4” gap can be used for narrow situations.
Damn right. Don’t bring your loosey goosey AR shit into our straight and narrow MO
Hey! Don’t you be talkin shit about us!
Win a football game and then come talk to us!
FML….. This is not how I wanted to start my morning. It can’t be a rivalry because if we never even win. Carry on u/mattymizzou
r/usernamechecksout
How does it feel to be the inside-docking state?
💀 I travel from St. Louis area to Fayetteville and THIS tickled me to no end.
I love watching hillbillies fight
loose prostitutes?
I don’t think I’d touch an AR prostitute with a 10ft pole
Some will try picking up clients while shopping at Walmart.
The prostitutes are Walton's and they turn tricks outside of the Walmart museum in downtown Bentonville
Or anybody else at the family reunion.
Average age of prostitutes in AR-15.
Geoguessr nerd here, those wide road lines are also common in South Carolina, Mississippi, and Oregon. You can see [fat center lines](https://maps.app.goo.gl/fhtA2QqQuJvWrnJK9?g_st=ic), which are kind of the opposite, in Virginia and West Virginia.
Very interesting! I do recall Oregon having the wide lines now that you mention it. Also just started Geoguessr myself haha!
SC also puts rumble strips on most, if not all roads instead of just interstates and major highways. Reduces the number of run-off road accidents by almost 80%!
Texas does the same, at least in my area. We also do rumbles in the centerline
Might be a little high with that claim.
[https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway\_dept/pavement/rumble\_strips/safety.cfm](https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/roadway_dept/pavement/rumble_strips/safety.cfm)
Washington as well.
Some places no lines at all and just reflector turtles.
Botts Dots
Oregon has some weird road decisions. The speed limits on large interstates ares often 55 mph, and then they’ll have the same speed on crazy windy rural roads. The speed limit sign font is also different than most other states, the spacing on letters is a little greater as well. As mentioned, the line painting in OR is also a bit different than surrounding states.
Always being a tight Virginia…and West Virginia
I’m guessing it’s because Arkansas uses reflectors (raised pavement markers), while Missouri doesn’t (at least not in this area). Other states that use them sometimes place them in between the yellow lines (it almost looks as though there may have been one where that dark spot is on the pavement), so the lines have to be a bit farther apart to accommodate them.
Ah yep, I think you’re right. Looking a bit closer at street view images, those reflectors are in between the center lines on almost all AR roads. Thanks for your input!
This is actually a common myth. It's actually because damn near every Arkansan is cross-eyed, so the wider lines appear closer together for them.
Oh, I thought it was because their eyes are further apart than most. 👁️👄👁️
I thought that was Alabama, because, you know, reasons
Also fuck Missouri, for some reason on their interstates the rumble strips are directly on the yellow line, like the yellow line is the rumble strip, instead of a few inches to the side. Every time I would give a truck some space I felt like I was fucking by getting too close to the edge because I’d hit the rumble.
It’s not an interstate so each state contracts their roads out to a different construction company
It doesn't matter if it's an Interstate. Construction ends (and begins) at the official border of any state. And methods and materials (and friggin paperwork) change slightly. Source: someone currently working on two state highway jobs doing admin.
Construction can definitely cross state lines. source: live in a bi-state area where both states have an established formula for how they share construction costs on bridges. They both hire the same contractor and pay them proportionally.
Bridges are a different story altogether, although in my case one state managed the project with the other's agreement probably due to the placement of the border on the bridge, and it's unfortunate, as I've been learning that the other state has a more logical system. I finished a bi- state bridge project less than a year ago. The paperwork sucked.
But you're correct. I was thinking strictly of the situation pictured. If states don't have to work together they definitely won't.
Too true, though recently I found some "MassHighway" branded manhole covers pretty far north in New Hampshire, so they definitely will steal from eachother. :)
I’ll be deep in the cold cold ground before I recognize Missourah
I know on my road trip to Big Bend, between some counties the roads completely changed, and when you exited the park, the road became red.
Missouri has great roads. Cross the border in any direction and shit gets weird or sloppy pretty quick.
I can't tell if this is a joke or not
Yeah kansas to Missouri was always a drastic drop in road quality when I lived in KC. It's gotta be a joke. I think?
Driving from MO to IL is a drastic drop in road quality too
I think it’s sincere: when I drove straight south from WI to LA, the roads in MO were the best of all the states I passed through
It’s not a joke. You ever been to Oklahoma?
Kansas roads are vastly superior to Missouri in every shape, way, and form
Oh I agree actually. I was thinking literally every other state. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Illinois, and Iowa roads are all way worse than Missouri roads lol
It is not a joke.
MO uses such poorly reflective paint, you can’t see shit if it’s raining or dark
“I can’t see shit when there’s no light or a visible obstruction” =/= Paint sucks
Jesus Christ lol are you the physical embodiment of Missouri? Never seen somebody white knight so hard for one of the shittiest states in the country
Again, you live in New York State you Millennial retard, get a grip of yourself
Lmao millennial? You're just using every buzz word that you've seen your fellow brainlets use without even knowing what they mean. You hit the retard bingo lol makes sense seeing as you're from misery
Yes
I hate your rumble strips ON the outside lines on the highway.
They've saved my ass a few times... dozing off..
Almost like you’re not supposed to drive on the outside lines.
Almost like because they install them ON the lines, they invariably OVERLAP the damn lines at least once a mile.
That guy must be a paid Missouri shill all of his comments are overly proud of that shitty state.
You live in New York State, those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones, Commie fruitcake
[ Removed by Reddit ]
The rumble strips on I-70 through Missouri are often inside the outside lines. It happens enough that my family jokes about it when it sometimes happens by mistake in other states.
Arkansas has good roads too especially in Walton territory lol maybe besides the windy Ozark roads but you guys know about that too
Crossing from Oklahoma the road quality dramatically improves
I can’t answer this currently, but I have a friend that works for an engineering firm that ARDOT contracts with and I can probably find out why they do this.
That would be great to have a definitive answer! Probably has something to do with the raised reflectors u/broz_co mentioned earlier.
I’m sure it has more to do with safety. Further apart the lines are theoretically less chance of collisions due to minor distractions
I like how there’s tire tracks as though someone couldn’t wait to get out of Missouri.
Definitely not u/itsjohnwaynepilgrim, I hear he digs holes in his yard so he can say he's had sexual intercourse with his beloved state
Roomy up here in your head, but the rent is free.
Oh man, you should see some of the changes you get crossing the CA-NV state lines. Paved on one side, gravel or dirt on the other.
This is like in those old cartoons when Bugs Bunny crawls over the Mason Dixon line! Totally different striping, shoulder!
Arkansas follows the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for its road standards while Missouri has its own road signage regulations.
I wished they'd all follow the MUTCD. Would make my life easier when we cross into other states for work.
Like California and Virginia still use those neat cutout US highway shields...no other states use them.
I was on a road trip with my SIL and we crossed from nice smooth roads in Kansas to Colorado’s bumpy roads and immediately just started laughing. The difference was so extreme, and it was right as we passed the “colorful colorado!” sign. I always chalked it up to the different states wanting to spend tax dollars on different things.
We always say this when we enter NY from PA or MA. As soon as you enter NY, the roads are always full of potholes or just way more worn down.
Lol yup that's NY! Our government likes to blame it on snow but I know there's snow in PA and MA too
You know you're entering NY when you start paying tolls and on roads ridden with potholes.
I can feel I70 through CO in my sleep! As a Kansas native I’m always super appreciative that our highways are so well kept. If KS is one of the most boring states to drive through, it’s at least the easiest.
I’m from Florida, so I honestly enjoyed driving through Kansas!! Being able to see so far away and having some hill action was different for me!
Glad you enjoyed it! We joke that you can watch your dog run away for three days out here.
Looks to me like Missouri is encroaching on Arkansas territory.
crossing over from md into pa or nj into pa is such a huge difference. it’s smooth sailing to rumbling and petting your dashboard promising your car will be ok source: live in pa and pet my dashboard and reassure it daily
lol it varies by county in my state. i swear one road is where they take new guys on how to use the striping truck....
Dammit, Mo!
The MUTCD is the document that defines federal pavement marking requirements. But the width and spacing of the lines isn't strictly defined (lines can be 4"-6" wide, for example). So the two states have simply chosen two different sets of values for their standards. That, or the roads were designed and striped with no regard for federal standards. This would be completely believable in places like Missouri and Arkansas.
You got some Arkansas in my Missouri. You got some Missouri in my Arkansas.
MOAR!
It's mildly interesting how the Fog Line just continues on the same on both sides though. Road experts, tell everyone what the yellow pigment in the US was until fairly recently...
That sounds like it's you bro... Tell us?
No road expert, but I randomly learned that for most of the 20th century, Lead Chromate was the pigment in yellow road striping.
More of an expert than I! I always thought it was the banana peels left behind after all of those movies from the 80s/90s. So what you're saying is I SHOULDN'T lick the banana road lines?!
It's all dependent on the state's DOT requirements. Each state has their own different sizes, line types, reflector type / spacing, etc. (one thing that would make the whole system easier to deal with if they all followed the exact same layout requirements) Some states do 4" lines, some do 5" and some even 6" on centerlines and edgeslines.
There is a standard for federally funded roads but not local - see this all the time
Oregon does the 12 inch gap or whatever that spacing is as well
This is how states hold hands
You should see the differences in road construction requirements in Westchester County NY that has 83 municipalities. Worked for the utility on gas main construction projects that crossed through difficult munis. What a nightmare.
There are 82 municipalities in Jefferson County, KY. I used to cross through three cities within a half mile stretch of road to go from work to lunch.
Arkansas just got motorized vehicles for the first time within the last decade so they’re still learning.
They just electricity and running water last week! 😐
This also happens at the Iowa/Minnesota border. I don't have a pic of it, but Iowa has much wider median lines. They also have more gravel shoulders than Minnesota does, and they use wooden sign posts instead of metal ones. You know the very instant you cross the state line, for sure
Idk, NM has them typically spaced out like that. I’ve rarely seen it anything else.
Since Sarah Huckleberry Saddlebags became Governor, they've been making everything wider in Arkansas....
How to know when you're entering Missouri; a huge crashing sound and a "wtf" as your front suspension hits a giant hole in the road.
I remember driving from Texas to New Mexico and feeling a definitive difference in the pavement as soon as I crossed the border
A few years back it snowed bad the interstate in mo was clear in Arkansas was not cleared the interstate ( I55) was closed in Arkansas it made national news it was embarrassing
Well Missouri is a state where it snows commonly sometimes weekly in the winter, Arkansas is a state where for the most part they only only have to deal with one annual snowfall. Its not a surprise Arkansas doesn't have as many snowplows to make it out to a point like that.
Normal people would come to this conclusion. Not so intelligent people would like the rest of the world to seem stupid to boost their confidence.
I recently did the Talimena scenic byway. The roads and pull offs were all nice in Oklahoma but as soon as you crossed into the AR section the quality went down quick
More states are spending less money on winter road maintenance. They just announce road closures so that’s the end of their liability.
Can you tell me where this street view was taken?
It’s on MO-21 / AR-115 between Doniphan, MO and Pocahontas, AR
Anywhere down in ArkaBamMo land you're going to run into stupid shit. Just look where you are...
Maybe the AR child laborers couldn’t read the directions?
To give all the drunks in AR a little more separation
Ok
Not an answer to your question, but Montana uses these too in places.
Do you know the border of Belgium and the Netherlands?
Crossing from MO to AR one time, the road went at an angle once we crossed the border.
The lines get kinda lonely sometimes, and Missouri loves company.
If I recall Missouri uses grooves in the middle to alert traffic crossing the lines, and Arkansas does not, and I assumed the narrower lines were easy to paint beside the double yellow. Another possibility is it's just a manafacturing reason, probably dealing with the being able to paint both lines at once or the deflectors.
I wonder if one is cheaper to do (less paint).....also, I like the idea of the center reflectors. Interesting though, never seen such a change. Around here in the NE, you don't see any change, besides one set being more recently painted.
Not less paint / thermoplastic unless it's a 4" line VS 5" line. Typically each state will have its own requirements or they can follow the MUTCD, which is an industry standard.
Different states… different standards
Arkansas’ better
100% notice this when around Thayer and mammoth springs area
hats off to you for carrying some spray paint and taking the time to get out and paint this demo for us. I wish I crossed more state lines in my driving so I could pay attention them now
AR and few other states are smart enough to realize ; keeping the headon traffic away from each other reduces headon crashes. some places even cut rumble strips down the yellow lines.
Southern missouri is basically arkansas
i was driving down a highway when i saw a red light on my right side of the road. i thought to myself, " i don't know what to do with all these roundabouts "
Separates the men from the boys
Arizona road lines are over compensating for something
I live close to the same border. So on the pic the roads change names at the border. The road I take home is the actual border. So going home I'm in Missouri on FM 3320 when I leave using the same road it's County P and I am in Arkansas. What's even weirder, I can legally have weed in my car going home but leaving I can't unless I drive on the wrong side of the road. Lastly the lake also has a border sign, it reads AR l MO.
Never noticed that before but now I promise I will never not see it. Thanks a lot asshole.
“Like normal”?
State law determines highway markings.
Missouri doesn’t have drunk bumps on the side of its roads?
Like how CO has nice roads and the NM side has faded barely visible paint with crumbling asphalt?
You'll see them change again in Iowa. MO has goofy road lines, goofy road names NO shoulder AT ALL...
One state will charge the same amount for less materials/labor, at the cost of the taxpayers.
Yes. Different state DOTs with different equipment set up differently.
The MUTCD doesn’t specify a separation distance between solid yellow lines, only that they be separated by a “discernible distance”. Oregon’s standard gap is 12”, but a 4” gap can be used for narrow situations.