Can a stop line be used in advance of a midblock crosswalk to show vehicles where to stop for a pedestrian?
Yes, but only if there is a State law that requires vehicles to STOP for (rather than yield to) pedestrians in crosswalks. Section 3B.16 contains the applicable language limiting the use of stop lines to locations where a traffic control device requires vehicles to stop. A crosswalk is a traffic control device, and if State law requires road users to stop (rather than yield) if a pedestrian is in the crosswalk, a stop line for this application would be appropriate. However, if the State law requires drivers to YIELD to pedestrians in crosswalks, a Yield Line marking must be used rather than a stop line if a transverse marking is needed in advance of the crosswalk.
