By CHARLES OWENS
PRINCETON — A growing number of roadside memorials across the state is prompting highway officials to propose new rules and fees regulating such tributes to loved ones.
The state Division of Highways is proposing new rules that would allow the DOH to make memorial signs for family members of a loved one lost in motor-vehicle accidents. The fee for such a sign would be $200, which would cover the cost of installing and maintaining the sign.
“We would hope we could get to a point where we could phase some of those existing memorials out, and start replacing them with signs,” John Walker, the state’s chief highway engineer for operations, said. “There are some that we have safety concerns with.”
A number of roadside memorials can be found across Mercer County, including on U.S. Route 460, Route 20, and the Interstate 77 corridor. However, a spokeswoman for District 10 Division of Highways Administrator John McBrayer said the Princeton office has no way of keeping track of the number roadside memorials across the area.
Walker said the proposal for the creation of uniform roadside memorial signs will be sent to lawmakers for approval. The state hopes to have the signs approved and ready by next year.
Walker said the proposed signs would be blue and white in color in order to differentiate them from regulatory signs such as stop signs.
“This is an informational sign — that is what it would be,” Walker said. “We would work with the family to put the expected information on it. Some will want more details than others.”
Walker said the $200 fee isn’t an attempt to generate money for the state.
“I can understand some family viewpoints that the $200 would be a deterrent,” Walker said. “But that is just meant to cover the cost of the sign and making the sign and maintaining it.”
McBrayer said the existing roadside memorials with flowers and crosses can be found frequently along busy intersections and four-lane roads. But in many instances, they also can create a potential safety hazard for motorists, Walker said.
“It is one of those things where you get complaints from the public and concerns,” he said. “We also get complaints from our maintenance forces about the hazards it presents to the operation of mowers, or whatever it would be.”
Walker said highway crews try to respond to those roadside memorials that create potential safety concerns.
— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com
