FENWICK ISLAND – A restriping project will move forward in Fenwick Island.
At its December meeting, the Fenwick Island Town Council voted unanimously to accept a proposal from Straight Line to restripe the town’s streets. The decision comes more than a month after the council agreed to table the proposal in an effort to get more information on the paint being used.
“Straight Line gave us this proposal for labor only,” said Councilman Richard Benn, chair of the town’s infrastructure committee. “Let’s go ahead and accept that and we’ll look and see where it is next year, and whether or not it’s serviceable for another summer or not.”
While the town had initially restriped its streets in 2022, staff received complaints this past summer about fading lines. In a town council meeting this fall, Public Works Manager Mike Locke said he had reached out to the company who completed the project – Straight Line – and had learned the paint used for the restriping project only lasted between three months and three years.
“Over the summer we were getting calls talking about how striping on the roads was headed to the point where they could no longer tell the white and the yellow,” he said at the time. “I reached out to the company that did the striping to question should it have faded that quickly. Their response was that it should be done once a year. We are a year and nine months into it.”
Locke told the council this fall that Straight Line had submitted a proposal to restripe the oceanside and bayside streets for $6,801. He said the company was only charging for labor and could complete the work before the summer season.
Officials, however, questioned if the company could use a darker paint, or if the town should explore the use of thermoplastic markings. After further discussion, the council agreed to table the proposal until those topics could be explored.
“I would prefer to table it and get additional information,” Mayor Natalie Magdeburger said at the time.
Back on the agenda this month, Benn said he had reached out to family that worked in the restriping business and had recommended the town pursue the use of thermoplastic. He noted, however, that it would cost more money.
“It would last much longer, an estimated five to eight years, but it’s also four times more expensive,” he explained. “But we’re only getting about a year out of this paint.”
To that end, Benn suggested the town proceed with Straight Line’s proposal but to put out a bid for thermoplastic striping in future years.
“I move that we go ahead and accept Straight Line’s proposal and let them get it painted this offseason,” he said.
With no further discussion, the council voted 7-0 to accept the restriping proposal.
