Though it may seem that way, the Bristol Fourth of July parade route has not always been painted with a red, white and blue center stripe. The late Richard V. Simpson, unofficial Bristol historian and author of multiple historical books, documented the history of the stripe in an essay he wrote 11 years ago.

He wrote: “The red, white and blue center stripe did not materialize in Bristol’s streets until 1969. In the first year of patriotic street striping, only a portion of the route of march was painted. The portion being Hope Street from Franklin south to the intersection of High at the Lobster Pot Restaurant.”

The painting extended to the full length of the parade route the next year, in 1970, before it took another step forward in 1976, for the nation’s Bicentennial, when the parade route was lengthened to begin Chestnut street, where it remains today. The center stripe moved with it.

According to Simpson’s account, the striping was occasionally in doubt. He wrote: “In 1982 the DOT refused to paint the now traditional stripes down the center of the parade route streets. DOT Director Wood said that his budget for street painting would not allow the expense for Bristol’s Fourth of July tri-color striping. Bristolians, not to be deprived of their tradition, passed the hat and raised more than the required $750 to pay the state for its street painting effort.

“Again in 1983, the state DOT refused to paint the lines, complaining about the cost and that similar requests were coming in from all over the state. Newport gets a green line on Thames Street for its St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and Warwick gets a tri-color line for its Gaspee Days Parade. Through the influence of local legislators, the General Assembly passed a bill allowing the DOT to paint the Bristol parade route. However, due to an oversight, the legislators did not include any money for the job. Gov. J. Joseph Garrahy rushed through a special appropriation bill that added the needed funds to the DOT street painting budget.”

The red, white and blue stripe became a permanent fixture in Bristol 27 years ago, through an act of Congress. Simpson described the events: “In the early 1990s, DOT Director and Bristol resident Retired U.S. Navy Captain William Bundy [now deceased] was concerned about the legality of having the red, white and blue stripes all year long. Tri-color traffic divider lines are not described in the Rhode Island Driver’s Manual.

Because Hope Street is a state road, for safety reasons, Mr. Bundy had the double yellow stripes put back on Hope Street after each Fourth of July parade. Each year, this action caused trepidation among townsfolk.

“To solve his dilemma, Bundy sent a letter to Sen. John H. Chafee requesting a formal waiver from the federal government, which would allow the tricolor stripes to remain after the parade. Chafee, a long-time participant of the Bristol parade, replied, ‘I have fond memories of walking through Bristol, following the patriotic red, white and blue center lines along Hope and High Streets.’ Chafee, who was at the time chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, said he would include the request for the waiver in the National Highway System bill.

“Chafee introduced the legislation and was successful in having it become part of Federal Rules and Regulations. It states in Section 353(b): ‘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-a of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices of the Department of Transportation.’

“Since 1996, thanks to the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, Bristol’s patriotic stripes have remained year round.”