If the lines on the streets and parking lots around Perry look a little crisper than normal, you have the public works department to thank.

Public Works Director Jack Butler says they started working on street painting towards the beginning of the summer, and it’s been an ongoing process ever since. They’ve tackled areas such as the parking stalls downtown, the City Hall parking lot, and the McCreary Center parking lot, among others. Now that we’re in August, Butler says they’ve moved onto a yearly task. “You know, time’s flown by, and it’s like, ‘Wow, school’s about ready to start.’ So we went ahead and got started on all the crosswalks. It always looks pretty for the first week or so, and then white paint, traffic, tires; it just doesn’t last. But you know, it looks good and kind of highlights (the) intersections.”

The pattern used for the crosswalks is different this year than in years past. Butler says they had used two lines, but City Administrator Sven Peterson had asked them to use rectangular blocks across the street. Butler says it took more paint, but agrees it looks better and is really noticeable for motorists. He adds, the crosswalk painting should be done very soon, and his department has already started to look forward to doing them again next year.

To hear more about the Perry Public Works Department, listen to today’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.