River Vale painted a blue line down the center of Westwood Avenue on September 29, joining several other towns in New Jersey who’d done the same. Hillsdale followed suit a month later, on October 26, painting blue and red lines down Hillsdale Avenue and a green line down the center of  Washington Avenue.

However, the well-intentioned gesture is prohibited by law. A letter from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), issued on Dec. 8, stated that “filling that gap”  between double yellow lines “does not comply with the provisions of the [Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices] (MUTCD).” Section 3A.06 of the MUTCD states that the lines must be “two parallel lines separated by a discernible space.” Along with this, the letter stated that blue paint “is exclusively reserved” as an “accessibility” symbol.

The “thin blue line” originated in the UK as a mark of respect for fallen police officers and staff. The symbol became a broader show of support for police in general when it came to the US and Canada.

According to Detective Sergeant Adam Hampton of the Hillsdale Police department the red line is in support of the firefighters and the green line is in support of EMS workers.

Despite the revelation that the lines painted are illegal, neither municipalities seem to have plans to paint over or cover up the lines.

“I’m not going to say we won’t [cover up or remove the lines], but we’re not going to do it at this point,” River Vale Business Administrator Gennaro Rotella said. “We’re going to hold steady.”

He also admitted that their lack of action was a “violation of the law.”

“[The lines] may fade naturally,”  Rotella said. “Obviously, we’re not going to add them.”

Jonathan DeJoseph, Hillsdale’s CMFO-Borough Administrator and Qualified Purchasing Agent, said that “the only comment from the Borough at this time” was that they “support all of our emergency services.”

They have not released details about how the town plans to proceed.

According to Doug Hecox, a spokesman for the FHWA, the FHWA is “working with the state” on what will happen if municipalities do not comply with the guidelines, but cannot yet comment on it.

“For them to enforce this law,” Rotella said, “they have to go through 566 municipalities in the state of New Jersey that have blue lines.”

According to Rotella, the Bergen County offices have not taken a position on the issue of erasing the blue lines despite the fact that most of the lines in the state are painted on county roads.

State legislators, however, have introduced a joint resolution in defense of the blue lines, disapproving of “Federal Highway Administration determination that ‘thin blue line’ between double-yellow centerline marking does not comply with Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways.”

The Assembly Bill was introduced and referred to the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee on Jan. 12 and the Senate companion was introduced shortly after on Jan. 23.

Hecox said that while the FHWA “[appreciates and understands] the efforts by local governments and others that convey support for law enforcement officers” “modification” of the yellow lines “could cause confusion, accidents and fatalities.

“Our number one priority is the safety of all drivers,” Hecox said.

Though there are some are insisting that the towns erase the lines to abide by to law, citizens have largely agreed that they see little harm in the lines and wish to keep them in order to support the police.

“All we’re trying to do is bring awareness,”Giordano said. “You read every day,about these officers who are being shot or persecuted or being blamed for the ills of society.”

According to River Vale Police Chief William Giordano, the mayor and council of River Vale decided to paint a blue line in the streets “to show support and unity with law enforcement.”

Rotella said that the mayor of River Vale made the “initial call” to paint the blue line and the town DPW painted the lines during business hours using paint paint the town already owned, which is normally used to paint handicap accessible parking spots. It took around two hours.

Atlas Line Striping, based in Hillsdale, painted the lines in the center of Hillsdale.

“The town just said that they wanted to show a bit of appreciation for all of the emergency services in town,” Hampton said, “For Hillsdale, it was not a law enforcement thing. It was an emergency services recognition for everybody.”

“As an officer who’s served 26 years,” Giordano said, “it’s humbling to see it painted in the roadway, to see that we do have support out there from our citizens, from our politicians.”