State transportation officials have issued a reminder as the campaign season gets underway that there is a prohibition against placing signs along or within the state’s public right of ways.
As a follow up to the Federal Highway Beautification Act of 1965 and public ballot initiatives Alaska laws apply to signs on public or commercial property either within 660 feet of state’s public right of way or beyond 660 feet and legible from the main traveled way.
The prohibition against signs within the state’s public right of ways applies to vehicles parked in right of ways that are used to display political advertisements. Such signs create safety hazards by obstructing views, distracting drivers and creating obstacles in collisions.
All such signs may be removed by the state at the expense of the property owner.
Owners of property or persons placing or maintaining unauthorized signs are subject to removal expenses of at least $50 per sign, fines of at least $50 and as much as $5,000 if convicted of a misdemeanor, and associated costs.
For more information, please review the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities website, at http://dot.alaska.gov/campaignsigns/ and contact your local State Right-of-Way office if you need assistance related to specific rights of way.
