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Updated 33 minutes ago
PennDOT crews will remove roadside campaign signs that are deemed safety hazards, agency officials said.
A spokesman last week initially told the Tribune-Review that PennDOT did not have enforcement powers to authorize the removal of political signs from state roads.
“We do have enforcement responsibility under federal and state law on certain highways, and we are stepping up our activities in this regard in this region,” Rich Kirkpatrick said this week in an email. “Political signs do present a challenge because of their random placement and our need to prioritize maintenance staff time with other pressing duties.”
PennDOT will not launch any new procedures regarding campaign or other signs, the agency said. Crews will attempt to contact the owner of any hazardous signs to remove them. If an owner cannot be identified or the sign isn't removed within 30 days, PennDOT will remove them as resources allow.
Local and political leaders said they were struggling to deal with leftover political signs from last year's presidential and general election that remain along roads and on private property months after votes were counted.
Several municipal officials said there are no local laws requiring that signs be removed, particularly on private property.
State law prohibits unauthorized signs on PennDOT property, Kirkpatrick said last week.
Hempfield Supervisor Chairman Doug Weimer has said he plans to introduce an ordinance that would require all political signs to be removed in the township in the weeks after an election is completed.
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