Drivers concerned about improperly placed campaign signs in the Lowcountry

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Some Lowcountry drivers are complaining that the placement of campaign signs could be distracting enough to kill someone.

The City of Charleston does have sign placement regulations, but many of the signs along the roads are not correctly placed, according to Robert Somerville with the Charleston Department of Traffic and Transportation.

One driver says he’s lived here for over ten years and has never seen a campaign sign placed on the interstate until this week.

“The ones on the interstate need to come down. It’s a heavily traveled area, a lot of eyes looking. It’s a distraction that could cause death, injury, traffic problems. They need to come down,” says Tom Walker.

Charleston does have sign placement regulations and consequences to go with them.

“They are required to be placed on private property, not right of way. They can be on your property, friend’s property, your business, not public right of way,” says Somerville.

He made it clear that if a sign will distract a driver, it shouldn’t be there.

“When I tell people to determine what public right of way is, to put it behind the sidewalk. If it’s the roadway, the sidewalk, usually the area behind the sidewalk is considered private property,” says Somerville.

He says that if the Charleston Department of Traffic and Transportation workers see improperly placed signs then they will remove them.

“We should be taking them. If they’re at the intersections on the right of way, we should be pulling them,” says Somerville.

Walker says he hopes those that are running for office understand how dangerous the signs have become when they are placed on the interstate.

“If you’re running for office, I’d be looking to put signs where they’re not at risk of causing mishap but where they might be seen. I think they should find where the best place is to not cause harm,” says Walker.

We reached out to the Arrington and Cunningham campaigns to see if they are aware several of their signs are improperly placed, but they did not reply.

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