Date:
Monday, June 26, 2006
Contact:
Curtis Knopp, Traffic Office, 360-905-2115
Sylvia Ross, Communications Office, 360-905-2058
VANCOUVER– When it comes to signs, everyone has something to say. Along our state highways one can find signs advertising a house for rent; fresh berries, vegetables, beef jerky or even a car for sale; and a host of other advertisements. With election campaign season gearing up, more and more politically-themed campaign signs find their home along the roadway systems.
However, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) would like to remind the public that posting signs promoting or announcing something on the state-owned right of way along state highways and interstates is illegal (RCW 47.42.080(5)). Regardless of their content, these signs are considered to be a public nuisance and WSDOT is authorized to remove any such sign without notice.
WSDOT controls illegally posted signs within the state highway right-of-way as effectively and as efficiently as possible, often times with limited resources. To reduce the cost of sign removal, WSDOT maintenance crews remove signs concurrently with other scheduled maintenance work. Once removed, the department will attempt to contact the sign owner and inform them that their sign has been removed if contact information is provided on the sign. Each sign that is removed is marked with the date and the location from where it was taken, and the sign owner has 30 days to retrieve the sign. After the 30-day period, WSDOT recycles or otherwise disposes of the sign materials.
In many cases, WSDOT crews notice that identical replacement signs seem to go up as quickly as they are removed. WSDOT cautions the public that replacing illegally posted signs is considered littering, and is a misdemeanor offense and the owner of the signs may be subject to penalty (RCW 70.93).
There is no permit or fee requirement for posting campaign signs on private property adjacent to state highways. The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) classifies political campaign signs on private property as a type of on-premise sign because the signs are intended to convey the property owner’s support for a political candidate or issue (WAC 468-66-050)(d). Signs posted on private property that are visible to state highways are regulated by RCW 47.42, also known as the Scenic Vistas Act. These laws are available on the web at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/biz/trafficoperations/traffic/billboards.htm.
Unfortunately it’s not always easy to know if a given location along a highway is on state-owned right of way, but there are some clues in many locations:
Electrical or telephone utility poles are usually located inside the state’s right of way, so if a sign is posted between a utility pole and the edge of the pavement, the sign is illegal and will be removed by WSDOT. Posting signs on utility poles is prohibited and is a misdemeanor offense (RCW 70.54.090).
Many state highways and interstates have a fence line separating the state’s right of way from private property. It is illegal to post signs on the fence, or between the fence and the edge of the pavement. Signs posted in these areas will be removed by WSDOT.
The best way to find out where the state right of way is located along any highway or interstate is to contact your local WSDOT highway maintenance office. When you call, please be prepared to provide the state route number (US 12, SR 500, I-5, etc.), and the approximate milepost, nearest intersection or other landmark.
For more information on right of way, or to retrieve a sign, please contact a WSDOT supervisor at the nearest office location:
Cowlitz County and parts of north Clark County, including Kelso, Mount St. Helens, Woodland, Amboy and Fargher Lake: Sam Arola, (360) 442-1342
Clark County, including Vancouver, Camas and Washougal: Mike Gartman, (360) 905-2134
Parts of east Lewis County, including Morton and Toledo: Craig Robbins, (360) 740-8640
Parts of east Lewis County, including White Pass, Packwood and Randle: Larry Krueger, (509) 672-3170
West Lewis County, including Chehalis, Centralia, Napavine and Pe Ell: Larry Stritmatter, (360) 740-8640
Wahkiakum County and south Pacific County, including Cathlamet, Skamokawa, Naselle, Ilwaco and the Long Beach Peninsula: Herb Messick, (360) 484-3481
North Pacific County, including Raymond and South Bend: Mike Whipple, (360) 942-2092
Skamania County and parts of West Klickitat County, including, Bingen, White Salmon, Trout Lake and Lyle: Don Morby, (509) 493-2338
East Klickitat County, including Goldendale, Maryhill and Satus Pass: Jay Chambers, (509) 773-4533
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