Striped crosswalks get non-slip painted surface

PEDESTRIANS using striped crosswalks on downtown streets are less likely to slip and fall on rainy days as local authorities paint them with anti-slip coatings.

More than 100 "zebra" crosswalks will have the new paint applied by the end of the year, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau announced yesterday.

The new paint gives the crosswalks a coarser surface and makes them more durable, according to the bureau.

"The paint on the zebra crossing is quite important to the safety of local pedestrians and cyclists," said Bao Wuying, a local legislator who proposed that the authority repaint them.

Residents complained about slippery crosswalks, especially on rainy days.

"A colleague of mine slipped on the zebra crossing and broke some bones two years ago," Bao said.

Bicycles and motorcycles have had problems slipping when turning or braking on striped crosswalks, said a cyclist surnamed Zhuang.

Special paint that is fast to dry and highly visible was used on the striped crosswalks, but it became slippery when stripes were too thick or wide, especially when wet.

The city's traffic and public safety authorities built raised areas on striped crosswalks on five streets, including Nenjiang and Zhongyuan roads, to make them less slippery.

The practice was effective but took longer and required more labor than just repainting them with a new substance, according to the bureau.

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