Earlier quoted context omitted.
Besides the plows and grit, this CBC article claims the paint they choose has something to do with it: > Most of the paint is environmentally friendly but being water-based, it rarely lasts more than a year, especially on the province's busiest roads and highways. > "The paint used for highway striping eventually wears down as a result of the wear and tear from vehicle traffic as well as the effects of necessary wint…
You can be even more "environmentally friendly" by doing away with the markings, or even the paving... The markings here seem to be some sort of dense plastic material and don't wear much.
I think those markings might be the epoxy based "golden oatmeal" this article mentions (https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-hunts-for-a-dur...) Durable but expensive.
> Meanwhile, the province does have an alternative it has been using on roads where visibility, geography and weather make for dangerous conditions, such as parts of the Coquihalla Highway. Crews grind out a line-sized trench in the pavement and pour a clumpy epoxy-plastic paint nicknamed “golden oatmeal” that bonds to the asphalt using the same material as dentures. Because it sits just below the rest of the pavement, it better withstands wear. “The problem is to do that is extremely cost prohibitive,” said Stone. “It’s very pricey.”