Las Vegas uses dots instead of lines to mark out its lanes and this is why

If you’ve ever driven on certain Las Vegas roads, you may have noticed that instead of using lines to mark lanes, they feature little Botts’ dots. 

The small raised dots are named after California Department of Transportation engineer Elbert Dysart Botts, who is credited with their creation.

Originally the dots were made from glass and held in with nails, but this idea was scrapped after it was found the dots could pop loose and the nail could embed itself in someone’s tire. 

Today’s Botts’ dots are fixed to the ground using a special fast-setting epoxy and they serve an important purpose.

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Why does Las Vegas use Botts’ dots?

The dots replace the typical painted lane markings you see on roads, and come with some advantages. 

As well as offering better visibility the raised dots also provide physical feedback to a driver if they happen to drift out of their lane, a bit like a rumble strip. 

Alongside that, they usually require less maintenance than a painted strip, which will need redoing every few years, 

You’ll find the Botts’ dots on the Las Vegas strip and throughout Clark County, where each dot comes with a reflector that will shine when an approaching car’s headlights hit it. 

This is particularly useful in Vegas, where the weather can range from wild winds to heavy thunderstorms, resulting in frequent drops in visibility.

However, thanks to the Botts’ dots and their added reflectors motorists can drive safely even if the roads happen to be covered in desert sand. 

Meanwhile, Las Vegas’ lack of snow means that the Botts’ dots and their added reflectors can lie safely on the ground without the risk of being ripped up by a snow plow.

More US states are using Botts’ dots

Las Vegas isn’t the only place to use Botts’ dots. 

As mentioned above, the dots can be used pretty much anywhere, as long as it doesn’t get frequent snow. 

Back in the 1960s, California introduced a mandate that all state highways in non-snowfall areas would use Botts’ dots. 

Today there are more than 25 million in use across the state, although they are no longer the sole indicator of lane divides. 

Hawaii also uses the dots, alongside the snow-free areas of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Washington.

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