MDW PAINTED OVER GATE'S SAFETY ZONE LINES WITH A BLACK/WHITE CHECKERED PATTERN MAKING FOR A GND VEHICLE TRAVEL LANE; ALLOWING VEHICLES INTO AN ACFT HAZARD ZONE.

Narrative

I WAS ON THE RAMP AT MDW AT THE GATE WAITING FOR MY ACFT TO COME IN. I NOTICED THE 'TUG' ROAD OUTLINED WITH A BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED LINE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE 'ROAD.' THIS 'ROAD' IS USED BY THE RAMP FOLKS TO GET FROM ONE SIDE OF THE TERMINAL TO THE OTHER BY DRIVING UNDER THE TERMINAL. ONE SMALL PROBLEM: WHEN THE BLACK AND WHITE CHECKERED LINES WERE PAINTED FOR THE 'ROAD;' THEY PAINTED OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE SAFETY ZONE LINES FOR THE GATES. THE R SAFETY ZONE LINE AND THE L SAFETY ZONE LINE DO NOT EXIST. A TRUCK WAS PARKED ON THE R SIDE OF THE 'ROAD' WAITING FOR AN INBOUND PLANE. THE DRIVER USED THE 'DEFAULT' BLACK AND WHITE CHECKED ROAD AS 'THE SAFETY ZONE' LINE. THE DRIVER WAS ABOUT 10 TO 12 INCHES TO THE R OF THE 'ROAD' LINE WHICH IS ABOUT 6 TO 8 INCHES IN THE SAFETY ZONE FOR THE GATE. THAT PUT THE TRUCK 16 TO 20 INCHES IN THE ZONE. NOT GOOD. BY THE TIME I SAW THIS AND WENT TO ASK THE TRUCK TO MOVE; THE PLANE FOR THE NEXT GATE WAS ALREADY PULLING INTO THE GATE AND THE TRUCK DROVE OFF. BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE SAFETY ZONE LINES ARE COVERED BY THE BLACK AND WHITE PAINT FROM THE ROAD MARKINGS AND THEREFORE IN EFFECT DO NOT EXIST. CAN WE ASK THE ARPT OPERATIONS MANAGER TO REPAINT THE SAFETY ZONE LINES? WE NEED TO BE SAFE IN ALL THAT WE DO AND PROPER RAMP MARKINGS MIGHT JUST KEEP US FROM SMACKING A WINGTIP INTO SOMETHING ON THE RAMP.