HF 2114

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 02/08/2012 12:02pm

A bill for an act
relating to transportation; providing for temporary signs on pedestrian bridges
and overpasses over trunk highways; amending Minnesota Statutes 2010,
sections 160.27, by adding a subdivision; 160.2715.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 160.27, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 7a. new text end

new text begin Trunk highway; temporary sign. new text end

new text begin (a) A road authority, including a city,
may by permit allow temporary placement of a sign on a pedestrian bridge or overpass
over a trunk highway, when the pedestrian bridge or road constituting the overpass is
under the jurisdiction of that road authority.
new text end

new text begin (b) A sign placed under the permit:
new text end

new text begin (1) may not be otherwise prohibited under section 173.15, clauses (1) to (3);
new text end

new text begin (2) may not reduce the clearance height of the bridge or overpass for vehicles
traveling on the trunk highway;
new text end

new text begin (3) must be secured to the bridge or overpass in a manner that poses no safety
hazards; and
new text end

new text begin (4) may be placed for no more than three consecutive days.
new text end

new text begin (c) A road authority may issue only one temporary sign permit at a time for each
direction of travel under a pedestrian bridge or overpass.
new text end

new text begin (d) A road authority that chooses to issue permits under this subdivision shall
establish application procedures and conditions for permit issuance. At least seven days
prior to issuance of a permit, the road authority shall notify the commissioner of the permit
application and location, and provide a detailed description of the sign. The commissioner
may provide recommendations to the road authority concerning the permit, but may not
prohibit permit issuance or sign placement.
new text end

new text begin (e) For purposes of this subdivision, a sign includes a banner, placard, or flags.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 160.2715, is amended to read:

160.2715 RIGHT-OF-WAY USE; MISDEMEANORS.

(a) Except for the actions of the road authorities, their agents, employees,
contractors, and utilities in carrying out their duties imposed by law or contract, and
except as herein provided, it shall be unlawful to:

(1) obstruct any highway or deposit snow or ice thereon;

(2) plow or perform any other detrimental operation within the road right-of-way
except in the preparation of the land for planting permanent vegetative cover or as
authorized under section 160.232;

(3) erect a fence on the right-of-way of a trunk highway, county state-aid highway,
county highway, or town road, except to erect a lane fence to the ends of a livestock pass;

(4) erect or reconstruct driveway headwalls in or on the right-of-way of a highway
or road, except as may be allowed by permit from the road authority imposing reasonable
regulations as are necessary to prevent interference with the construction, maintenance,
and safe use of the highway or road and its appurtenances;

(5) dig any holes in any highway, except to locate markers placed to identify
sectional corner positions and private boundary corners;

(6) remove any earth, gravel, or rock from any highway;

(7) obstruct any ditch draining any highway or drain any noisome materials into
any ditch;

(8) place or maintain any building or structure within the limits of any highway;

(9) place or maintain any advertisement within the limits of any highway, except as
provided in section 160.27 deleted text begin , subdivision 7 deleted text end ;

(10) paint, print, place, or affix any advertisement or any object within the limits of
any highway, except as provided in section 160.27 deleted text begin , subdivision 7 deleted text end ;

(11) deface, mar, damage, or tamper with any structure, work, material, equipment,
tools, signs, markers, signals, paving, guardrails, drains, or any other highway
appurtenance on or along any highway;

(12) remove, injure, displace, or destroy right-of-way markers, or reference or
witness monuments, or markers placed to preserve section or quarter-section corners;

(13) improperly place or fail to place warning signs and detour signs as provided by
law;

(14) drive over, through, or around any barricade, fence, or obstruction erected for
the purpose of preventing traffic from passing over a portion of a highway closed to public
travel or to remove, deface, or damage any such barricade, fence, or obstruction.

(b) Any violation of this section is a misdemeanor.