Vermont to crack down on illegal sign placement

Lawmakers are planning to crack down on signs placed in state rights of way.

Current law bans political and other signs from being placed on state-owned medians and alongside roads, but it has largely been overlooked.

Not anymore, says Sen. Dick Mazza, D-Grand Isle County. The Senate Transportation Committee chair says after elections, state and local road crews have to pick up the signs and they're often not reclaimed.

"Vermont is proud to have our billboard law working well, and our committee has been talking about, 'Well, let's clean it up even more.' So we intend to just enforce the present law that we have now," Mazza said.

Signs can still be placed on private property for up to two weeks. People who place a sign in a public right of way will face a $100 per day fine.

Mazza says the law also includes going-out-of business or sale signs that businesses often distribute.