June McCarroll

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June McCarroll was a nurse (later a doctor) with the Southern Pacific Railroad in the early 20th Century who is credited with the simple but revolutionary idea of delineating busy highways with a painted line separating lanes of traffic, a safety standard now in use all over the world.

McCarroll a Nebraska native was driving on the road leading to her office near Indio, California in 1917 on a stretch of highway that would later be incorporated into U.S. Highway 99. The highway remains today as part of Indio Boulevard. The Ford Model T she was driving was sideswiped by a truck coming the opposite direction, causing the car to land in a ditch on the shoulder. The road at the time was unmarked.

McCarroll took it upon herself soon afterwards to crawl on her hands and knees to hand-paint a white stripe down the middle of the road, thus establishing the actual width of the lane to prevent similar accidents. Through the Indio Women's Club, McCarroll then began a vigorous letter writing campaign on behalf of the idea for it to become law. In 1924, the idea was adopted into law by the California Highway Commission and highways all over California were soon delineated. It would not be long before the idea was adopted worldwide.

A memorial plaque to Dr. McCarroll is on Indio Boulevard and Flower Street in Indio. A stretch of Interstate 10 near Indio east of the Indio Boulevard/Jefferson Street exit is named "The Doctor June McCarroll Memorial Freeway" in her honor.

GPS coordinates for plaque: 33º43.260 N - 116º13.040 W