It was great to see the media coverage from the news release sent Friday (Nov. 5) reminding property owners it’s time to remove temporary political signs visible from state highways.

The signs need to be down by Friday, Nov. 12.

The folks in WSDOT’s Outdoor Advertising group are responsible for making sure Washington is in compliance with state and federal highway advertising laws. The Highway Advertising Control Act “declares that sign control adjacent to state highways is necessary to assure that information of interest to the traveling public is presented safely and effectively, and to conserve the natural beauty of our roadsides.”

Part of the state’s role in highway advertising is outlined in Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 468-66. This WAC is where you can find the regulations for temporary political signs on private property visible from state highways. First, property owners must consent. Then the signs,

• must be removed within 10 days following the election (that’s Nov. 12, 2010)
• can only reach a maximum size of 32 square feet in area, and
• must comply with any local regulations.

Remember, no signs (other than those used for traffic control) are allowed within the state right-of-way. None – that includes retail, political, garage sale, etc. Why? Both safety and scenic issues. The WSDOT website provides more information about Washington’s outdoor advertising regulations.

Here are some basic clues on how to tell if a location is within a state highway right-of-way:

• Utility poles are typically located inside the right-of-way. So no signs on the pole or between the pole and the state highway.
• Many locations also have a fence line separating the right-of-way from private property. So again, no signs on the fence or between the fence and the state highway.

If you have question about Outdoor Advertising, contact Pat O’Leary. He can be reached at OLearyP@wsdot.wa.gov or by calling 360-705-7296. If your question is about a specific area, be prepared to provide the state route number (I-5, SR 28, US 2, US 97, etc.) and the name of the nearest intersection or approximate milepost.

So no signs in the right-of-way - none, ever. And if you do get permission to post them on private property, it's time to take them down for the season.

“I think these signs have been sprayed with Miracle-Gro. They are popping up everywhere!” – WSDOT Maintenance Superintendent.

I heard that today about campaign signs.

So it’s time for a friendly reminder that campaign signs are not allowed in the state highway right-of-way. If we see signs (campaign or other) in the right-of-way, we take them down. But we just can't get to every one.

To stop the election season “growing," we work with local Auditors to educate candidates and volunteers. It’s not always easy to know the boundaries, so here are a few clues:

• Utility poles are typically located inside the right-of-way. So no signs between the pole and the road.
• Many locations also have a fence line separating the right-of-way from private property. So again, no signs between the fence and the road.

The above information is for state highways. Local municipalities have their own regulations, which may differ from city to city and county to county.

The best way to determine the boundary lines for a state highway right-of-way is to check with WSDOT Outdoor Advertising Specialist Pat O’Leary. He can be reached at OLearyP@wsdot.wa.gov or by calling (360) 705-7296. You will need to provide the state route number (I-5, SR 28, US 2, US 97, etc.) and the name of the nearest intersection or approximate milepost.

For those who are curious about the highway signs on private property, check out Washington Administrative Code 468-66 . With an okay from the property owner, temporary political signs are allowed on private property visible from state highways.

If you find your sign was taken down and you would like it back, contact your local WSDOT Maintenance Office. No guarantees, but it could still be around.

Monday was what the Office of the Secretary of State called their Opening Day, the first day of filing week. With opening day comes time for people to start showing support for their team. During election season, that means campaign signs.

Just a reminder that campaign signs are not allowed in the state highway right-of-way. A big thank you to those who take the time to share this information with campaign volunteers. If you haven’t yet shared that info, please do.

Because it’s not always easy to know the boundaries of a state highway right-of-way, here are a few clues:

• Utility poles are typically located inside the right-of-way. So no signs between the pole and the road.
• Many locations also have a fence line separating the right-of-way from private property. So again, no signs between the fence and the road.

If we see signs in these locations, or others within the state right-of-way, we take them down. Sign removal isn’t one of our primary duties, so we may not get to them all. But, if you find your sign was taken down and you would like it back, contact your local WSDOT Maintenance Office. No guarantees, but it could still be around.

Under the Washington Administrative Code 468-66, temporary political signs are allowed on private property visible from state highways. However, the property owner must give consent, the signs must comply with the WAC, as well as any local regulations. Campaign signs on private property visible from the state highways must also meet the following requirements:

• Maximum size of 32 square feet in area.
• Removed within 10 days following the election.

Also remember, what I am writing here is for state highways. Local municipalities also have their own regulations, which may differ from city to city and county to county.

The best way to determine the boundary lines for a state highway right-of-way is to check with WSDOT Outdoor Advertising Specialist Pat O’Leary. He can be reached at OLearyP@wsdot.wa.gov or by calling (360) 705-7296. You will need to provide the state route number (I-5, SR 28, US 2, US 97, etc.) and the name of the nearest intersection or approximate milepost.