227.299. Memorial bridge or highway designations, procedure--notice requirements--signs to be erected--multiple designations prohibited--time period of designation.
Memorial bridge or highway designations, procedure--noticerequirements--signs to be erected--multiple designationsprohibited--time period of designation.
227.299. 1. Except as provided in subsection 7 of this section, anorganization or person that seeks a bridge or highway designation on thestate highway system to honor an event, place, organization, or person whohas been deceased for more than two years shall petition the department oftransportation by submitting the following:
(1) An application in a form prescribed by the director, describingthe bridge or segment of highway for which designation is sought and theproposed name of the bridge or relevant portion of highway. Theapplication shall include the name of at least one current member of thegeneral assembly who will sponsor the bridge or highway designation. Theapplication may contain written testimony for support of the bridge orhighway designation;
(2) A list of at least one hundred signatures of individuals whosupport the naming of the bridge or highway; and
(3) A fee to be determined by the commission to cover the costs ofconstructing and maintaining the proposed signs. The fee shall not exceedthe cost of constructing and maintaining each sign.
2. All moneys received by the department of transportation for theconstruction and maintenance of bridge or highway signs on the statehighway system shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit ofthe state road fund.
3. The documents and fees required under this section shall besubmitted to the department of transportation no later than November firstprior to the next regular session of the general assembly to be approved ordenied by the joint committee on transportation oversight during suchlegislative session.
4. The department of transportation shall give notice of any proposedbridge or highway designation on the state highway system in a mannerreasonably calculated to advise the public of such proposal. Reasonablenotice shall include posting the proposal for the designation on thedepartment's official public web site, and making available copies of thesign designation application to any representative of the news media orpublic upon request and posting the application on a bulletin board orother prominent public place which is easily accessible to the public andclearly designated for that purpose at the principal office.
5. If the memorial highway designation requested by the organizationis not approved by the joint committee on transportation oversight,ninety-seven percent of the application fee shall be refunded to therequesting organization.
6. Two highway signs shall be erected for each bridge and highwaydesignation on the state highway system processed under this section. Whena named section of a highway crosses two or more county lines,consideration shall be given by the department of transportation to allowadditional signage at the county lines or major intersections.
7. Highway or bridge designations on the state highway systemhonoring fallen law enforcement officers, members of the armed forceskilled in the line of duty, emergency personnel killed while performingduties relating to their employment, or state employees killed whileserving the state shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.
8. No bridge or portion of a highway on the state highway system maybe named or designated after more than one event, place, organization, orperson. Each event, place, organization, or person shall only be eligiblefor one bridge or highway designation.
9. Any highway signs erected for any bridge or highway designation onthe state highway system under the provisions of this section shall beerected and maintained for a twenty-year period. After such period, thesigns shall be subject to removal by the department of transportation andthe bridge or highway may be designated to honor events, places,organizations, or persons other than the current designee. An existinghighway or bridge designation processed under the provisions of thissection may be retained for additional twenty-year increments if, at leastone year before the designation's expiration, an application to thedepartment of transportation is made to retain the designation along withthe required documents and all applicable fees required under this section.
10. The provisions of this section shall apply to bridge or highwaydesignations sought after August 28, 2006.
(L. 2005 S.B. 233 § 227.365, A.L. 2006 S.B. 840, A.L. 2007 H.B. 732)