Election seasons bring forth much excitement, discourse, answers, and new questions.
A common question by some as of late – “where is my preferred political candidate yard sign?”
The answer may be “at the Georgia Department of Transportation County Headquarters.”
Georgia DOT would like to pass along a friendly reminder that unauthorized signage of any kind – political in nature or not – that is found in the state right of way is deemed as unlawful and is subject to immediate removal by DOT maintenance crews as part of the Department’s routine maintenance work.
Signs on the state highway system of interstates and state routes must be approved and permitted to be placed on the right of way.
The number of unauthorized political signs during an election year typically forces an increase in the number of sign removals, but signs that advertise yard sales, real estate, or goods and services for sale are also often found in the right of way.
According to the Georgia DOT, unauthorized signs can distract drivers and/or obstruct their view. They may also lead to debris that clogs drainage systems along highways and state routes during inclement weather, which creates safety hazards.
State of Georgia Code states that “it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, place, or maintain within the right of way of any public road any sign, signal, or other device except as authorized.”
The width of the right of way depends on the route. If there are power poles on the right of way, the edge is usually behind the poles. However, citizens should check with their local Georgia DOT office for guidance if they are unsure where signs are allowed on a particular route.
Georgia law stipulates that the DOT is required to maintain a safe roadway for the traveling public, which includes the immediate removal of any obstruction or hazard that may pose a threat.
It is not unusual for Georgia Department of Transportation maintenance employees to uproot several hundred signs during an election year.
The signs are then taken to the crew’s county headquarters and held for 30 days, allowing the owners an opportunity to reclaim them. If not reclaimed, the signs are destroyed.