What are the costs and safety risks associated with illegally posted signs?
Improperly placed signs in the roadway right-of-way can reduce a driver’s view, distract from his/her attention, compound damages or injuries in the event of a crash, endanger the safety of individuals who are erecting the signs along busy highways, present obstacles to crews who maintain roadways, and force pedestrians and bicyclists into dangerous areas close to the road edge or onto difficult terrain alongside the road shoulder. Traffic and pedestrian safety is a high priority for the Iowa Department of Transportation, and DOT crews are quick to address safety concerns related to illegally posted campaign signs. Illegally posted signs also waste valuable taxpayer resources. Each year, the Iowa DOT receives numerous complaints about improperly posted signs, or discovers them during routine inspections, mowing or other operations. DOT crews must follow up on these complaints and remove illegal signstime better spent maintaining our roadways.
