Hingham Selectmen Agree to Paint the Town Red, White, and Blue

The Hingham selectmen voted Monday morning to permanently paint red, white, and blue down a portion of the Fourth of July parade route.

The Selectmen agreed  that the patriotic colors will be painted as the centerline on Middle Street (from Pleasant Street to Short Street) and on Main Street (from Water Street to North Street).

The town painted a similar stripe on Main Street  last year for the parade, but this year the stripe will be permanent and will stay year-round.

The Hingham Traffic Committee , which includes , , and Planning Board representatives,  ,  as they believed it may be dangerous to drivers.  They were concerned that the town may be liable if a driver crosses the

“There is a genuine and strong concern that the red, white and blue lines will pose an unreasonable risk to the safety of the public in light to the fact that generally accepted design standards that exist in this country call for a standardized color of yellow, which is standard throughout the country,” Traffic Sgt. Steven Dearth wrote in a letter to the selectman on Thursday.  “The isolated presence of the red, white and blue lines, while benign in its intent, has the real potential for causing accidents that yellow dividing lines painted on the roadway are intended to prevent.”

Hingham Police also believed the lines would be difficult to see at night and during rain, according to the Selectmen.

Central Street resident George Ford, the Uncle Sam of the annual parade and member of the Fourth of July committee was in strong favor of the patriotic centerline.

“Just do it,” Ford said to the selectmen. “Celebrate Fourth of July. Celebrate Hingham. Put in the red, white and blue on the entire parade route.”

Ford said the committee is prepared to fund the new centerline and will continue to fund it if it ever needs to be repainted in the future.

In response to the town liability issues,  Ford said  that although police would not be able to issue citations for double line violations, drivers who cross the centerline should be charged with driving to endanger. Town Administrator Ted Alexiades also said that after research he realized the town would not be liable if someone got in an accident on the street.

“What we have is the opportunity to allow folks who aren’t from Hingham to see that we are celebrating year round,” Ford said.

All of the selectmen considered the arguments of both Traffic Committee and Fourth of July Committees and agreed to only paint the patriotic lines on a portion of the route.

“For me public safety is number one,” Selectman Laura Burns said.

The lines will be painted this week, before Monday’s  annual Fourth of July Parade, and they will include reflective beams so they will be visible at night.

Red, white, and blue centerlines are also painted in the towns of Peabody and  in Bristol, RI.