Posted on 10/30/2016 4:02:32 PM PDT by lightman
On Thursday all along major highways, midstate motorists might have witnessed PennDOT workers taking on a different task: Crews were instructed to remove the plethora of political signs that have popped up along major highways, including Interstate 81 and routes 11-15, 22-322 and Linglestown Road.
This wasn't PennDOT turning partisan, however. The transportation agency says it was just doing its job to keep major highways clear of possible crash-causing distractions and sight obstructions.
PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny confirmed his district's political sign-clearing operation conducted in Dauphin and Cumberland counties all day Thursday. But he could not say how many PennDOT workers were involved, nor how many political signs were cleared away.
But Penny did say the transportation agency fielded some angry phone calls from candidates who didn't take kindly to having their campaign signs hauled away mere days before the Nov. 8 general election.
PennDOT was well within its rights, however
Penny says it has always been illegal to post any type of signage in PennDOT rights-of-way. However, the agency, with other work to do, sometimes doesn't get around to clearing away the political signs. That is, unless there are motorist complaints or the signs clearly pose a safety hazard, sight obstruction or motorist distraction.
"It's usually a no-win situation for us," Penny said of removing political signs.
This campaign season, some candidates might have gone a sign too far in posting for votes along off-ramps, roadways and highway medians.
"As we approach Election Day, a lot of campaign workers get very overzealous and start putting signs all over the place," Penny said. "They just get carried away."
So when Thursday's rain prevented PennDOT crews from conducting most of their usual work, they were placed on political sign-clearing detail, instead. The agency's concerted effort focused on the major highways, medians and off-ramps all around the Harrisburg area, Penny said.
So the agency couldn't be accused of playing politics, Penny added that when crews cleared the signs they typically took down everything -- even those that may not have posed any immediate safety hazard or motorist distraction.
"Once you start removing a couple, you have Democrats and Republicans, how do you use your discretion?" Penny asked. "When they do do a cleanup operation, it is hard to exercise discretion. The easiest thing to do is just remove them all."
So that's what PennDOT did on Thursday, prompting more than a few calls from political candidates plenty peeved over their newly-missing signs.
But all is not lost.
Penny said the agency never destroys the signs. It simply removes and stockpiles them at district facilities. The signs can be reclaimed by the campaigns that posted them, Penny added.
"If a candidate is missing their signs, they can always retrieve them and place them at a better location," he said.
Hopefully, that new location won't be another PennDOT right-of-way.
Penny said that while no further sign-clearing operations are on PennDOT's to-do list, he warned the agency would continue to remove signs that pose a safety concern or are the subject of motorist complaints -- right up until the Nov. 8 election
So much for the First and Fourth Amendments.
Non-permitted signs in the right of way are encroachments and have to be removed.
The right of way (either in fee or easement) almost always extends well past the pavement.
It’s a safety issue.
PennDOT just became a wing of the politicization of government.
Now get out there and take down those Trump signs.
Must have been a lot more Trump signs than Clinton signs otherwise they wouldn’t have been removed.
In contrast the many Trump/Pence signs are right by the road. On my way home in the dark just now there was a large Trump/Pence sign with 3 American flags behind it, all lit up. Never seen anything like it.
In midstate PA you’re hard pressed to find one Clinton sign in three miles. Trump everywhere.
PennDOT is missing out on some $$$$ by not charging the candidates for the cost of removal!!!
Amazing how they can seem to keep the roadsides “nice and clean”, but the roads’ surfaces look like Helen Keller, Ray Charles & Stevie Wonder were running the paving equipment.
I’ve seen a LOT of these roadway signs, going south on 322 about 15 miles before Harrisburg, and then on 283 almost all the way to Lancaster. All Trump and Republican signs.
I know this may have some questioning my “loyalty” or something, but if the rules state that no signs are allowed in a PennDOT right-of-way, and all signs placed there are removed (regardless of what they say, then I have no issues with this.
It is only political if one side’s signs are removed and the other’s are not.
Route 15, from north to south, was a river of Trump signage. Why it had to go.
Same in Northeast PA, Trump signs ever few miles on a lot of roads. Seriously, I’ve never seen so many signs for a single candidate in my entire life like they are in my area right now.
Removing Trump signs? They’re just doing the job that liberals are too lazy to do.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.