By Karen Zautyk
Last year, as a symbol of support for their police officers, towns across New Jersey — including our Observer communities – began painting blue lines between the double-yellow lines on some local streets. Perhaps the towns should be arrested – for the federal government deems these lines to be illegal.
In October, a Somerset County official apparently decided to ask Washington if the blue lines comply with something called the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD). It took the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration until December to reply (hey! they’re busy people!), and the answer was “no, they do not comply.” We share with you the actual bureaucratic bushwah in the feds’ letter of “clarification”:
“Section 3A.06 of the MUTCD states that the pattern of a longitudinal double line shall be two parallel lines separated by a discernible space. For this space between the two lines to be discernible it must represent a lack of other markings. Accordingly, the pavement surface must be visible in the space between the lines in the same way that it is visible outside the lines.
“On this basis alone, filling in the gap in a double line, either partially or fully, does not comply with the provisions of the MUTCD. The exception herein is the use of black in combination with one of the approved pavement marking colors, as noted in Section 3A.05.
” … Blue as it applies to a pavement marking is exclusively reserved for the background color in the international symbol of accessibility parking symbol (see Figure 3B-22) and for the supplemental pavement marking lines that define legal parking spaces reserved for use only by persons with disabilities as provided in Paragraph 5 of Section 3A.05.
“We appreciate the impact of expressing support for law enforcement officers and value their contributions to society. There are many appropriate and fitting ways to recognize service to the public that do not involve the modification of a traffic control device which can put the road user at risk due to misinterpretation of its meaning. It is therefore critical that the uniformity of pavement markings be maintained so as to present a consistent message that accommodates the expectancy of road users.”
Could “put the road user at risk due to MISINTERPRETATION of its meaning?”
How could anyone misinterpret a thin blue line between two yellow lines in the center of a thoroughfare?
Do the feds actually think that someone will misread the blue line as indicating a “handicap” parking space and leave their car in the middle of Kearny Ave. or Ridge Road? That “road user” shouldn’t have a driver’s license in the first place.
Last week, two N.J. congressmen, Republican Leonard Lance and Democrat Bill Pascrell joined forces to address the ludicrous regulation, proposing federal legislation called the Blue Line Use Exception (BLUE) Act to permit the symbolic tributes.
Noted Pascrell, “I can assure the U.S. Department of Transportation that there is no confusion on the meaning of the painted blue line across many communities in New Jersey. In addition to being a daily reminder of the dangers our brave law enforcement officers face, it is a small show of support to honor their hard work and dedication to keeping our community safe.”
We contacted Kearny Mayor Alberto Santos, who termed the “no blue lines” directive “nonsensical.” (By the way, Kearny has not only a blue line in front of Town Hall but also a red line in front of the Kearny Ave. firehouse.)
Santos stated, “On local roads, these lines do not present a hazard … there is no legitimate safety reason to say that they pose a hazard.”
“We’re going to keep the lines,” he declared. And if Kearny receives “direct instruction” from the state or the feds concerning the current markings, “we will interpret that (as meaning) no new lines are to be painted. We will not interpret it as a directive to remove what’s there now.”
Bravo, Mr. Mayor!
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, 140 American law enforcement officers suffered line-of-duty deaths in 2016. (Sixty-three of them were the result of gunfire.) It seems that, in today’s society, no matter how small the town, no matter how “routine” the call or the traffic stop, our cops can never be certain it will not involve a potentially lethal encounter. But they face the danger willingly, having taken an oath to serve and protect you, the public.
Painting a thin blue line on a local street is the least a community can do to express its gratitude and appreciation.
[Editor’s note: For those of you who watched the Inauguration Day Parade in Washington last Friday, did you see the blue line along the center of Pennsylvania Ave. — all the way from the Capitol to the White House (and perhaps beyond)? Guess the DOT hadn’t noticed that one yet.]
