The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) has prohibited local municipalities from painting a blue line down the middle of streets near police stations. State and local governments are pushing back, saying the prohibition "defies common sense."
"Despite the recent news that it violates federal roadway standards, Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet said the blue stripe in front of the township's police headquarters isn't going anywhere," report Tom Nobile and Kristie Cattafi.
Mahwah is one of many cities around New Jersey and the country that have adorned the space between the yellow lines in the middle of the street in a shade of blue to celebrate police officers.
But a blue marking that runs between a double-yellow line does not comply with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways and is a traffic hazard, Federal Highway Administration Director Mark Kehrli said in a December letter to Somerset County’s engineer. Blue markings are reserved for designating handicap parking spaces, he said.
The FHA's stance on the issue has provoked a response from state and federal lawmakers. "State Assemblymen Erik Peterson, R-Hunterdon, and Jon Bramnick, R-Union, on Tuesday sponsored a resolution petitioning the federal government to allow blue lines between double yellow stripes near municipal buildings. They also introduced a bill asking the same of the state Department of Transportation," report Nobile and Cattafi.
FULL STORY: Fate of North Jersey's blue lines in doubt
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Greening Oakland’s School Grounds
With help from community partners like the Trust for Public Land, Oakland Unified School District is turning barren, asphalt-covered schoolyards into vibrant, green spaces that support outdoor learning, play, and student well-being.
California Governor Suspends CEQA Reviews for Utilities in Fire Areas
Utility restoration efforts in areas affected by the January wildfires in Los Angeles will be exempt from environmental regulations to speed up the rebuilding of essential infrastructure.
Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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