News from the Senate Majority

Alaska State Legislature

Wendy Lindskoog, Senate Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801-1182
Phone: 907/465-4582
http://www.akrepublicans.org
Broadcast Actualities: 800/478-6540

For Immediate Release: February 27, 1997 Contact: Senator Lyda Green 907/465-6600

Roadway Sign Bill Passes Legislature

Helps Visitors to Find Businesses

Juneau -- As part of the Republican-led commitment to enhance the business climate in Alaska, the House Wednesday passed Senator Lyda Green’s Senate Bill 56 by a vote of 29 to 9 providing for a well planned and regulated system of directional signing along Alaska’s roadways.

Senator Green noted the Governor vetoed an identical bill last year buckling to unreasoned complaints from people who feared this bill will open the door to future billboards.

"Despite the Governor’s comments, this is not about allowing billboards to clutter our scenic roadways and block our unrivaled views. That’s not what this legislation does," said Green. "This bill will guard against that action by properly regulating our signage codes through a uniform, stringent and strictly controlled program. We are talking about 18" x 90" inch signs."

"After the Knowles administration put forth a major effort to amend SB 56 through the committee process and on the House Floor, SB 56 passed in its original form," said Green. "I reintroduced this bill without any changes, convinced that our small mom and pop businesses who serve our roadways and our tourists who travel them, need better directional signs.

"I anticipate my bill’s outcome once it is transferred to the Governor and he comes face to face with the dotted line," Green said. "Too many people in our state have told me this bill is not only needed -- it makes good sense."

Green explained that the Department of Transportation’s Tourist Oriented Directional Sign (TODS) program has existed since June of 1988 but has been an experimental policy. It provides for a uniform and strictly controlled directional only sign program allowing for the creation of needed directional information for the traveling public.

"The trouble with the current system, however, is the TODS program has been implemented without statutory authority and is absent from regulation," Green said.

"That’s why SB 56 makes good sense. It provides our visitors with effective directions to find Alaskan businesses. And, it will allow the public to be involved in the process of establishing program regulations," Green said.

The proposed new signs must be 18"x90", blue and white, direction only, and may contain only the name of the business or attraction, an appropriate icon, directional arrow and distance information.

"These signs are the type travelers are accustomed to seeing when they try to locate a turn-off, roadside stop or off-road attraction," said Green.

Provisions in SB 56 include the placement of TODS signs on private property outside of the right-of-way in areas zoned commercial/industrial or unzoned areas determined to be commercial/industrial.

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