ATLANTA —
Signs memorializing persons killed in traffic incidents now will be allowed on federal and state highway right of way in Georgia, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced Tuesday, but families will have to get them from the DOT.
Fifteen-inch, round white signs with the black-lettered message “Drive Safely; In Memory; (the deceased’s name)” can be requested by family or friends for a $100 fabrication and installation fee. The sign will remain in place for one year, after which time it will be removed and given to the requesting sponsor.
“We believe this will appropriately address the desires of an individual’s family and friends to note their passing while allowing the department to maintain safety and uniformity along our roadways,” Georgia DOT Commissioner Vance C. Smith Jr. said.
Family — or friends, with the approval of immediate family — of individuals killed in accidents on federal and state routes on or after July 1, 2010, may request a sign. A request can be made by submitting a written application, the pertinent accident report and the $100 fee to the department’s maintenance engineer.
The DOT maintenance personnel will erect the sign at the edge of the mowing limits as close as practical to the scene of the incident, except in active construction zones or if prohibited by local laws.
The memorial sign program is similar to an effort the DOT, the Georgia General Assembly and the Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council began in 2006 for fatality victims of those convicted of driving under the influence. That program will continue.
These two types of fatality memorial signs are the only such markers, remembrances or tributes allowed on federal or state right of way; all others will be removed for safety reasons. In addition, gatherings, ceremonies or other activities at sign areas pose safety hazards and will not be allowed.
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