Ask Mr. Answer Person

Dale e-mails Mr. Answer Person: "I'm wondering if the center line is going to be painted on Mechanic Street following the resurfacing?"

Mr. Answer Person says: "In order for center lines to be painted on streets, the temperature needs to be at least 60 degrees.  So that pretty much rules out any center lines until next spring or summer.

But City Street Commissioner David Tollefson says there's more to it now than just having the temperature reach a certain high.  The city used to paint the lines itself, but now it contracts to have the work done by a special traffic line painting truck.  Tollefson says the results are straighter lines that seem to hold up well.  He says the City of Decorah usually schedules the paint truck at the same time Winneshiek County does.  That could mean there won't be a center line on Mechanic Street until July or August of 2011.

In the meantime, Mr. Answer Person has some smart advice:

"Stay to the right!"