Federal officials have told municipalities to stop painting blue lines between double yellow lines to show support for law enforcement, stating that the practice is unsafe.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration made the announcement in a letter sent in December after several towns in New Jersey began adopting the blue lines, according to NJ.com.
The letter was in response to an October 2016 letter written by Somerset County's chief Engineer Matthew D. Loper requesting clarification on the federal guidelines when it comes to painting the blue lines on roads.
Somerset County Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano told the newspaper that he plans to reach out to New Jersey State Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman to see if they could introduce legislation supporting the painted blue line.
"I know there are other ways to support law enforcement but it (the blue line) is a symbol out there," Provenzano said. "It stands out. I think the blue line would go a long way in showing respect for law enforcement. We are the first line of defense. We're the ones running towards danger while people are running away."
President of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association Patrick Colligan took issue with the FHA's assessment.
"I hope the FHA has more important things on their to-do list," he said. "E-Z Pass paints lines purple. Towns paint lines green for St. Patrick's Day. The FHA never weighs in on that. But when it comes to painting lines blue to honor law enforcement it's a federal issue. It really boggles the mind."
