Bridge Object Marker and a Solid Centerline at Night
You are driving north at night on a two-lane Kansas highway in light rain. The road has a broken yellow centerline, then just before a narrow bridge it changes to a double solid yellow line. On the left side of your lane, at the bridge abutment, there is a black-and-yellow diagonal-striped object marker (Type 3) facing traffic. On the right shoulder, a white fog line is visible, but the shoulder is narrow. An oncoming car with bright headlights is approaching about 400 feet away. Your windshield is slightly fogged. The bridge is 24 feet wide curb-to-curb, and your vehicle is a full-size pickup. The speed limit is 65 mph, and your speedometer reads 60 mph. There is no oncoming traffic behind the first car. The road surface is wet and reflective.
1. What does the Type 3 object marker indicate, and how should it affect your lane position?
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A Type 3 object marker uses diagonal stripes to mark an obstruction at or near the edge of the roadway. Here it marks the bridge abutment on your left, warning that the left edge is closer than a normal shoulder. Keep your vehicle to the right of the marker and within your lane; do not drift left toward the abutment. The marker is not a centerline or a lane line, so do not use it as a guide for passing or lane placement beyond staying clear of the obstruction. It is a hazard warning, not a lane boundary.
2. Why does the centerline change to double solid before the bridge, and what does that prohibit?
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The double solid yellow line means passing is prohibited in both directions. It is used where passing is unsafe because of limited sight distance, a narrow bridge, or another hazard. On this bridge, it also visually narrows the usable lane and reinforces that you must not cross into the oncoming lane. Stay in your lane and do not pass, even if the oncoming car is still 400 feet away. The solid line is a warning that the risk of a head-on conflict is high, not just a technical marking.
3. How should the oncoming headlights, narrow shoulder, and fogged windshield affect your speed and lane position?
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The bright headlights can cause glare, so do not stare at them; look toward the right fog line to hold your lane position. Because the shoulder is narrow, you have little room to drift right if you are dazzled, so reduce speed before the bridge. The fogged windshield lowers contrast and can smear the headlights, so use the defroster and wipers. Keep a steady lane position and slow enough to stop within the distance you can see. If glare becomes disabling, slow sharply or stop only if it is safe to do so; do not cross the centerline to escape the glare.