The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is asking for law enforcement assistance to stop
the theft and vandalisim of Water Over Road, Highway, and Road Closed signage
marking sections of flooded highways across the region.
Just this week, highway personnel have had to replace signs at several locations
multiple times.
The McCracken County Highway Maintencance Crew has replaced Road Closed signs 3
times along a flooded section of KY 131/Said Road in the Clarks River bottoms at the
McCracken-Graves County Line.
The Webster County Highway Maintenace Crew has replaced Road Closed signs along KY
109 near the Wheatcroft community on two occasions. During flagging operations
while KY 109 was restricted to one lane at the site, a driver stopped and threw
several signs into a nearby ditch. Another motorists tried to drive around other
vehicles and KYTC personnel into oncoming traffic.
The problem has prompted calls from the public complaining that flooded roadways are
not marked. However, in most instances crews find signs have been removed or tossed
into the ditch.
KYTC spokespeson Keith Todd said removing signage marking flooded areas creates a
danger for other motorists and can result in a citation.
“We’ve had calls from the public reporting they’ve seen other motorists stop and
throw barricades and signs out of the roadway. We’ve also had reports of motorits
driving over signs, barricades, and traffic barrels at some locations,” Todd said.
“If you see someone removing or damaging signs placed along flooded sections, please
get a licence number of the vehicle, take note of the specific location, and report
it immediately to your local 911 call center.”
Todd noted that motorists caught damaging or removing signs can be cited for up to a
$250 fine, with an additional $50 fine for each sign or traffic control device that
is moved.
“Water is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t care if you are old, young, or
middle-aged. It doesn’t care if you drive a new car or a well-worn vehicle. If you
drive into floodwaters you can very quickly end up in a life-threatening situation.
I find it hard to believe some people have so little concern for their neighbors
that they would remove critcial signage marking flooded sections of our highways,”
Todd said.
Some area counties indicated that they’ve had similar issues with people removing
and damaging emergency signage on county roads. Todd said it is discouraging for
highway crews to spend hours checking the status of highways and marking flooded
roadways to help keep the public safe, only to get a call an hour later saying that
someone has removed or destroyed signs and barricades.
Many of the roadways closed by floodwaters are in rural areas where there are few
people around, so vandals may feel free to steal, move, or destroy signs. Todd
urged anyone who sees signs being stolen or damaged to immediately report the
activity to police.