MoDOT warns campaign signs near roadside pose safety hazard

The Missouri Department of Transportation asked political supporters to help keep state owned roadsides clear of campaign signs Monday.

Not only can the signs be unsafe for drivers, but it is also against the law to put signs on state right of way, according to MoDOT.

“They could create a safety hazard, you know somebody pulls up to an intersection, looks left, looks right to pull out and if there’s a sign blocking their view, that’s a pretty big safety issue,” MoDOT Central District engineer David Silvester said.

Silvester said it is also dangerous for people to be in those areas putting up signs in the first place.

“We want folks to have that clear vision, that clear sight distance so to speak, and there is a potential for campaign signs to do that,” Silvester said.

If you are not sure if a sign is in the right of way, Silvester said there is a good way to judge that distance.

“That’s an area that if you should run off the road that you have a recoverable area,” Silvester said. “So even if you’re at an intersection, you’re looking both ways you have that area. But if you’re on a straight of way going down a road and you should run off the road then we do have this area on the right of way that is set up to recover your vehicle.”

MoDOT crews will notify the sign’s owner before removing it. But if the sign poses a serious safety hazard, crews will take it down immediately.

So far, Silvester said the signs have not caused any wrecks.

Silvester reminded residents it is not just limited to political signs. Others like real estate signs or business advertisements can also pose a danger to drivers and should never be placed in the right of way.