Hello Everyone, I am new to this forum. Does anyone on this forum have any experience or insight into the push to monetize the roadways through the use of sponsorship signs and other sponsorship applicable services provided to travelers? Or are there any companies people on this forum that have sponsored certain roadways in states?
Welcome. This would be the first I've seen such a topic discussed on here.
State Farm sponsors motorist assist services on the PA Turnpike, and a few other places too, IIRC.
A bank sponsors the E-ZPass lanes on the Mass Pike.
Maybe I was dreaming, but seems like I once heard of a proposal to turn over maintenance of a Louisville street to Yum Brands if, in exchange, they could paint KFC logos on the pavement or something similar.
The Massachusetts thing is "Citizen's Bank Fast Lane." Fast Lane was their ETC system prior to integration into the E-ZPass system.
Quote from: 1995hoo on January 05, 2012, 09:30:49 PM
The Massachusetts thing is "Citizen's Bank Fast Lane." Fast Lane was their ETC system prior to integration into the E-ZPass system.
FastLane was integrated into E-ZPass long ago, but the Citizens Bank signs are still up at this point. They will be coming down soon, if MassDOT sticks to their timetable. Apparently the feds were leaning on MassDOT to remove the bank's signs, saying that having advertising signs on the road was illegal (apart from logos on motorist-services signs).
Citizens Bank's sponsorship ended recently anyway.
Sponsorship signs are not allowed on roadways per MUTCD. The only things that are okay are the motorist service signs and "Sponsor A Highway"/"Adopt A Highway" litter removal sponsorships.
Quote from: hbelkins on January 05, 2012, 09:07:55 PM
Maybe I was dreaming, but seems like I once heard of a proposal to turn over maintenance of a Louisville street to Yum Brands if, in exchange, they could paint KFC logos on the pavement or something similar.
KFC paid to fill a few potholes and put their logo on top in chalk. Never heard anything about expanding the program after the initial press rounds. Here's their press release about it: http://www.kfc.com/about/newsroom/032509.asp (http://www.kfc.com/about/newsroom/032509.asp)