Politics & Government
Inmates to Begin Removing Signs from Roads Tuesday
Prison inmates will remove signs from major public roads - including some in Fairfax City - beginning this week, as part of a new County program.
Virginia’s gubernatorial election is underway, but Fairfax County residents can rest easy knowing that this year, campaign signs posted on major roads will be removed.
Starting this week, nonviolent inmates from the Sherriff’s Office Community Labor Force will remove signs, including political campaign signs and advertisements, every week Tuesday through Thursday.
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Signs will only be removed from major public rights of way across the county, including the Fairfax County Parkway, Leesburg Pike, Lee Highway, Richmond Highway and more. A full list of roads with sign removal is available on the county’s Web site.
In and near Fairfax City, according to the map, it appears portions of Chain Bridge Road, School Street, University Drive, Fairfax Boulevard and Lee Highway will be cleared of illegal signs as part of the program.
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Signs on neighborhood streets will not be tended to.
The same goes for signs on private property, although residents with complaints about such signs can file online forms with the county. Adopt-a-Highway groups can collect signs from neighborhood streets.
Putting up signs on any state road is illegal. The law does allow some signs, such as signs at the intersections of two or more roads giving the distance or direction to a church, residence, or place of business and signs advertising or providing directions to a “special event.” Such signs will be allowed to stay up from Saturday through Monday.
Although there was serious public support, garbage isn’t part of the deal. Litter will not be removed from the medians while signs are being collected.
The Board of Supervisors approved the program, an agreement with the Virginia Department of Transportation, in February. It will cost the county $150,000.
Signs removed by the county will be stored for five calendar days at the I-66 Transfer Station, where they can be reclaimed. Signs will be destroyed after five days.
But signs collected by VDOT's Adopt-a-Highway groups may collect signs at any time on their designated roads, and they may destroy these signs immediately.
What do you think of this program, and the use of nonviolent prisoners to help carry it out? Tell us in the comments.
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