In the Middle of the Road

Notice the red, white and blue stripe in the middle of this road - Main Street in Bristol, Rhode Island? Impressed, well, maybe you should be - after all it took an Act of Congress to approve this multi-colored center stripe.

Under the federal MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices), center stripes dividing traffic traveling in opposite directions "shall be yellow". Section 3B.01

The MUTCD is the law of the land - the 'bible for traffic engineers. But, Congress to the rescue! In 1995 Congress adopted PUBLIC LAW 104-59-NOV. 28, 1995 (NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM DESIGNATION ACT OF 1995) to wit:

"Section 353(b) STRIPES — Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a red, white, and blue center line in the Main Street of Bristol, Rhode Island, shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of Section 3B-1 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices of the Department of Transportation."

Notice anythinbg else weird about that phtograph?