Encroaching signs banned from state right-of-way

CRAWFORDSVILLE -- The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) reminds Hoosiers that all signs are prohibited from federal and state highway rights-of-way, as per Indiana Code 9-21-4-6.

INDOT personnel are empowered by state law to remove unauthorized signs, including real estate, advertising and political signage, within the state right-of-way.

The right-of-way areas that must remain "sign-free" for the safety of the motoring public include:

-- All interstates and their interchanges.

-- All intersections where at least one local, state or federal road intersects with a state or federal highway.

-- All rights-of-way paralleling federal or state highways (the right-of-way extends to the back of the ditch, to the fence line or up to utility poles). INDOT crews will not pull signs placed behind the ditch, fence line or beyond the public utility poles.

Signs that have been removed will be saved at the nearest INDOT Subdistrict office. To reclaim signs, owners should either call toll free to the INDOT West Central District at 888-924-6368 or stop by the local office during their hours of operation from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Subdistrict offices are at the following locations:

-- Cloverdale Subdistrict, NE quadrant of I-70 and U.S. 231, Cloverdale.

-- Crawfordsville Subdistrict, 251 W. 300 North, Crawfordsville.

-- Terre Haute Subdistrict, I-70 and State Road 46, Terre Haute.