AARoads Forum

National Boards => General Highway Talk => Traffic Control => Topic started by: Amaury on November 12, 2023, 03:53:49 AM

Title: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: Amaury on November 12, 2023, 03:53:49 AM
I'll use the recent realignment of US Route 12 here Walla Walla County as an example. All of the signs, like mileposts, on the old highway, including in Touchet and Lowden, of course remain standing, such as this "Entering Touchet" sign: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A8aditdLBGdHKuaA8. They still have the DOT stickers on the back showing they belong to WSDOT. However, now that the highway has been realigned, is WSDOT still responsible for them or are they now the responsibility of Walla Walla County? Is there like a mass update that will take place to remove all WSDOT stickers and replace them with Walla Walla County stickers or whatever it is, if the latter?
Title: Re: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: Big John on November 12, 2023, 05:29:43 AM
Depends on any agreement between the state and a local agency if a jurisdiction transfer was done.  I don't know how Washington state laws work in this case.
Title: Re: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: Bitmapped on November 23, 2023, 10:24:17 AM
The signs are normally a package deal with the roadway. Whoever owns the road is responsible for the signs along it, barring situations like signs near interchanges or anything otherwise delegated out by standard practice/law in that state.

With turnback situations I've seen in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the DOT might take town their route signs but everything else is left in place so you might see DOT markings but it's no longer their sign.
Title: Re: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: LilianaUwU on November 24, 2023, 10:08:16 PM
I know that when QC 199's northern end in Grande-Entrée was truncated slightly to a roundabout (yes, a roundabout in a village of maybe 300 people), the MTQ has replaced signs on the orphaned segment. This also happened with the replacement of Pont du Havre-aux-Maisons, where the two old QC 199 alignments got new signage.
Title: Re: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: epzik8 on November 25, 2023, 04:54:16 PM
Yep, if it remains in the state's system the state would remain responsible for signage, and if it's transferred to county or municipal maintenance they would presumably assume that responsibility.
Title: Re: Who Is Responsible for Signs When a Numbered Route Is Realigned?
Post by: Rothman on November 25, 2023, 05:42:07 PM
Quote from: epzik8 on November 25, 2023, 04:54:16 PM
Yep, if it remains in the state's system the state would remain responsible for signage, and if it's transferred to county or municipal maintenance they would presumably assume that responsibility.
...unless it stays part of the state's system and is nonetheless maintained by locals.