Effective 28 Aug 1999

226.525. Natural wonders and historic attractions, signs, how erected — private owners to reimburse commission — rules to be promulgated for tourist-oriented directional signs. — 1. The state highways and transportation commission is directed to erect within the right-of-way of all classes of highways within the state signs and notices pertaining to publicly and privately owned natural wonders and scenic and historical attractions under the following conditions:

(1) Such signs shall not violate any federal law, rule, or regulation affecting the allocation of federal funds to the state of Missouri or which violate any safety regulation formally promulgated by the state highways and transportation commission.

(2) Such official signs shall be limited in content to the name of the attraction and necessary travel information.

(3) The state highways and transportation commission shall determine those sites and attractions for which directional and other official signs may be erected as permitted by Section 131 of Title 23, United States Code, which it deems of such importance as to justify such signing, using as a guide those publicly or privately owned natural wonders and scenic, historic, educational, cultural, or recreational sites which have been determined to be of general interest.

(4) The state highways and transportation commission may require reimbursement for the cost of erection and maintenance of the official directional signs authorized hereunder when sites or attractions are privately owned by other than the state or political subdivisions. The state highways and transportation commission shall prescribe the size, number and locations of such signs based upon its determination of the travelers' need for directional information.

2. The commission shall adopt rules to implement a program for the erection and maintenance of tourist-oriented directional signs within the right-of-way of state highways in the state. The tourist-oriented directional signs shall provide business identification and directional information for natural attractions and activities which, during a normal business season, derive a major portion of the income and visitors for the business or activity from motorists not residing in the immediate area of the business or activity. Natural attractions and activities eligible for such tourist-oriented directional signs shall include, but not be limited to, caves, museums, wineries, antique business districts and tourist-oriented directional signs indicating the location of any veterans' memorial located at any college in such county provided that such signs are located on a highway known as the "Veterans' Memorial Highway" in any county of the first classification with a population of more than one hundred seventy thousand inhabitants but less than two hundred thousand inhabitants.

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(L. 1972 S.B. 382, A.L. 1999 S.B. 61)