Are contractors allowed to sell signs?

[WestSide Highway]

Does anyone know if contractors are allowed to sell the taken down signs? Are they still property of the state or does it become theirs?

[Quillz]

I believe they are still state property. However, there are several sites/services out there that sell replica signs. There is one off-hand (name escapes me at the moment) that will sell you standard road signs (anything from a STOP sign to a one-way marker), but are sold before they would otherwise be used in the field.

Ultimately, it's probably a case-by-case basis and you'd likely need to contact the contractor. Most of the old, antique signs I know of in private collections were "found" in the field rather than purchased from an actual DoT.

[Max Rockatansky]

Bulk of mine have come from scrappers.  Basically some of them do the actually pulling of the signs down or get them from the DOT for disposal.  Some of them actually sell the signs off given that there is a collectors market rather than sell them for scrap metal.  Really the only states I've had issues obtaining signage from where I used to live are Florida and New Mexico.  You'd think that eBay would be chock full of stuff from both states given how many routes each has, but it's not the case.  I suspect there might be some sort of surplus stock thing going on or a situation where the signage can't legally be sold...haven't researched it enough to find out.  By far the easiest is Michigan....god there is always a glut of plentiful signs that can be bought second hand for cheap.  Connecticut is pretty easy to find as well...California kinda sorta but the price is steeper than almost any other states.

[roadman]

Does anyone know if contractors are allowed to sell the taken down signs? Are they still property of the state or does it become theirs?

Depends upon the policy of the specific state or municipality, and how the contract documents for a given project are written.  If the contract documents specify the old signs and posts are to be "removed and stacked (R&S)", that means they remain the property of the DOT or local DPW.  If the contract documents specify the old signs and posts are to be "removed and discarded (R&D)", that means they become the property of the contractor.

MassDOT practice for sign replacement projects on state highway, and other projects unless a municipality specifically requests to reclaim the old signs and posts they originally put up, is that the old signs and supports are to be removed and discarded, and become the property of the contractor for proper disposal off-site.  The advantages of this approach are twofold.  First, MassDOT doesn't have to worry about finding storage space for the old signs, posts, and structures until they can dispose of them (this is a particular issue with overhead sign panels and trusses).  Second, most or a portion of the scrap value of the aluminum and steel to be reclaimed is usually reflected in lower bid prices for the new sign installations - this is especially true in freeway projects where large overhead sign supports are being replaced.

[SP Cook]

In WV, if a contractor is paid to replace the signs they get to keep the old signs and posts (WV policy is to put up new sign posts a few feet before or after the old ones and put up the new signs before taking down the old ones, meaning there are a couple days with duplicate signs) and they are supposed to figure what they are going to make on the backside via scrap and adjust their bids accordingly.    I cannot recall a contractor doing anything besides just metal scrap, not supplying roadgeeks with collectables, but if you contracted one I'm sure they would take your money.

Same rule applies to most anything, such as scrap value of homes torn down in new construction, minerals mined by new construction, old guardrails, old stop lights, whatever.

[roadman]

I cannot recall a contractor doing anything besides just metal scrap, not supplying roadgeeks with collectables, but if you contracted one I'm sure they would take your money.

MassDOT routinely gets requests from private citizens for old signs.  Such requests are referred to MassDOT's principal sign contractors.

[silverback1065]

If you ask the contractor, and the owner doesn't care, it's yours.