ATLANTA — The Georgia Department of Transportation issued a reminder on Thursday that political signs are not allowed in the state right of way.
This includes the right of way on interstates and state routes. How large that right of way may extend, a release said, "depends on the route" and that if there are power poles present, "the edge is usually behind the poles."
"However, check with your local Georgia DOT office for guidance if you aren't sure where signs are allowed on a particular route," the release said.
In restricted areas, GDOT said, signs "must be approved and permitted to be placed on the right of way."
"Unauthorized signage of any kind found in the state right of way is unlawful and is subject to immediate removal by Georgia DOT maintenance crews as part of the department's routine maintenance work," a release said.
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GDOT added that while unauthorized signs increase in an election year, they are "not the only problem" as other signs for yard sales, real estate or other advertisements often run afoul of the law.
The release added:
Unauthorized signs can distract drivers or obstruct their view and also can lead to debris that clogs drainage systems along highways and state routes during inclement weather, which creates safety hazards.
Georgia Code 32-6-51 states that "it shall be unlawful for any person to erect, place or maintain within the right of way of any public road any sign, signal or other device except as authorized by subsection (d) of this Code section."
It is not unusual for Georgia DOT maintenance employees to uproot several hundred signs during an election year. The signs are then taken back to the crew's county headquarters and held for 30 days, giving the owners an opportunity to reclaim them. If not reclaimed, the signs will then be destroyed.