Why doesn’t the Ministry use more “cat’s eyes” or pavement reflectors?
The term “cat’s eyes” refers to a particular brand of pavement reflector that was developed in the UK. The generic term for pavement reflectors is “raised pavement markers” (RPMs). Raised pavement markers are effective in improving driver guidance, especially in the south coast and Vancouver Island areas of the province. In other areas where winters are quite snowy, reflectors are often severely damaged or removed by snowplows. The Ministry has researched and experimented with various reflector designs that are considered “snowplowable”. However none have proven to be durable and cost-effective over the long term. The Ministry has looked at installing pavement reflectors in recessed grooves but water tends to accumulates in the grooves, diminishing the reflective qualities of the reflector. In snowy areas the recesses often get packed with snow and sand, and the reflectors often become damaged from vehicles using tire chains.
