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The Utah Department of Transportation is investing $26 million to replace road markings on major roads in at least five counties across the state, including Salt Lake County.

The dotted lines on Utah roads have long been a concern for residents of the state — whether during summer monsoons or winter snowstorms, drivers often have difficulty distinguishing between lanes in inclement weather.

In Utah County, construction crews are currently working to complete a section of new, thicker road markings and have received positive feedback, Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason said.

The $26 million pavement improvement project will replace pavement markings on Interstate 15 from 800 South in Payson to Main Street in Lehigh. Work on that stretch of road began in March and is expected to be completed in September, after which crews will replace pavement markings in Salt Lake City, Davis, Toile and Summit counties.

“It’s called contrast stripes… some people call it a tiger’s tail,” Gleason said. “You paint a white line first, and then you paint a black line right along the white line, so it’s very noticeable — it’s very striking and makes the white pop even more.”

ICYMI: This morning, we announced with @UtahDOT that we will be updating lane markings on several highways in Salt Lake County! This is great news for Utahns as we work to keep our roads safe for everyone.

To replace lane markings, workers first cut a shallow groove into the road surface to remove the old markings, which also protects the new markings from damage by snowplows.

An adhesive was then applied to the road surface, securing the new high-contrast markings, each 2 inches thicker than the old stripes.

Next, new markings will appear on sections of Interstates 15, 215, 80 and 201.

“The mayor and the residents of the city have told us that the situation is much better now than it was before,” Gleason said of the situation in Utah County.

“Because if you’re caught in a rainstorm, the last thing you want is for those lines to disappear,” Gleason said. “I think that happens to all of us.”

Utah’s variety of extreme weather conditions is one of the main factors contributing to the deterioration of existing road markings in the state. Gleason said drivers don’t see that the markings are supposed to be reflective, but wear and tear has caused them to fade.

Gleason said that while UDOT always budgets for new line markings when major projects are underway, it is currently also reallocating $6 million a year from the construction budget to maintain line markings.

Regarding the ongoing lane marking work, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox tweeted early Monday morning: “This is great news for Utahns, we are working hard to keep the roads safe for everyone.”