(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Another political campaign season is approaching and there is frequently a proliferation of political message signs being placed in or near State highway rights-of-way. These are sections of State roadway where political campaign signs are prohibited. Each election cycle, signs that find their way into State rights-of-way must be removed as mandated by Alaska and federal law.

In many instances, candidates and their volunteers may not realize where rights-of-way are located. In other situations, sign placement or clusters of signs near busy roadways or intersections are considered traffic hazards because they diminish a driver’s sight distance.

Knowing that campaign advertising is highly important, and expensive, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has provided these sign posting guidelines.

Explained below are two sections of Alaska Statute pertaining to sign posting/advertising in rights-of-way:

• Campaign signs placed within the State’s road and highway rights-of-way are deemed unauthorized encroachments under AS 19.25.200 – 19.25.250 and will be removed by Alaska Department of Transportation crews without notification. Vehicles parked in rights-of-way that are used to display political advertisements are also prohibited and subject to removal. Political campaign signs are considered outdoor advertising.
• AS 19.25.105(a) states, “Outdoor advertising may not be erected or maintained within 660 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way…” This section deals with advertising outside the corridor, but also addresses advertising that maybe placed within the corridor on bus benches or trash receptacles. If the sign is on private property, the Alaska Department of Transportation must provide a 30-day written notice of removal to the sign owner and property owner.

Simply stated, a highway right-of-way is an identified strip of land reserved for transportation improvements. The right-of-way includes not only the road surface, but can extend well beyond the edge of pavement, sometimes as far as 200 feet and more.

A list of State roads and highways in Southeast Alaska that are affected by rights of way laws are available online.

For more information about the width of the road rights-of-way in a given area or information about a specific road in Southeast Alaska, contact the Juneau Right of Way office at 465-2838.

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

On the Web:

State roads and highways in Southeast Alaska that are affected by rights of way laws
www.dot.alaska.gov/comm/assets/Ak-State-Rd_SE.pdf

Source of News: 

Alaska Department of Transportation
www.dot.state.ak.us

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