Caltrans Reminding Campaigns Of Political Sign Rules Along Highways

As political campaigns prepare to send out volunteers with signs, Caltrans wants to remind people that there are rules.

Political signs are prohibited near freeways within a public right of way and within 660 feet of the edge of landscaping.

Gilbert Mohtes-Chan is with Caltrans and says the rules are in place to protect freeway access and aesthetics.

"It's kind of a national initiative that's come down kind of to a state level to ensure during the campaign season that people can get their messages out there. But we also want to avoid the clutter you might see on the highways."

Mohtes-Chan says the rules are intended to allow signs in places where billboards may be prohibited. But the state wants to make sure the signs don't interfere with Caltrans workers or take away from landscaping.

Before signs can be placed, a campaign must send someone to a Caltrans office to sign a pledge to follow the rules.

"During the primary season, we end up, because of the number of candidates, we have a lot more signs out there and sometimes if there's an over-zealous campaign worker that puts a lot of signs there, we'll have a whole collection of them in our maintenance yard and I kind of dub it the 'campaign-sign graveyard.'"

Signs may be no larger than 32 square feet.
 
Candidates have ten days after an election to remove them.