136-26. Closing of State transportation infrastructure during construction; injury to barriers, warning signs, etc.

If it shall appear necessary to the Department of Transportation, its officers, or appropriate employees, to close any transportation infrastructure coming under its jurisdiction so as to permit proper completion of work which is being performed, the Department of Transportation, its officers or employees, may close, or cause to be closed, the whole or any portion of transportation infrastructure deemed necessary to be excluded from public travel. While any transportation infrastructure, or portion thereof, is so closed, or while any transportation infrastructure, or portion thereof, is in process of construction or maintenance, the Department of Transportation, its officers or appropriate employees, or its contractor, under authority from the Department of Transportation, may erect, or cause to be erected, suitable barriers or obstruction thereon; may post, or cause to be posted, conspicuous notices to the effect that the transportation infrastructure, or portion thereof, is closed; and may place warning signs, lights and lanterns on transportation infrastructure, or portions thereof. When infrastructure is closed to the public or in process of construction or maintenance, as provided herein, any person who willfully drives into new construction work, breaks down, removes, injures or destroys any such barrier or barriers or obstructions on the road closed or being constructed, or tears down, removes or destroys any such notices, or extinguishes, removes, injures or destroys any such warning lights or lanterns so erected, posted or placed, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.