March 28, 2024

Sign vandalism rising

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Union County has seen an uptick in sign vandalism in the past year with an even higher rate this spring.

“We have always had a level of vandalism of our signs, such as bullet holes or hit by front bumpers or grill guards,” Union County Engineer Zach Gunsolley said. “However, this year there’s also been a lot of graffiti vandalism, as well as sign theft.”

Weather events over the last year and a half have strained the secondary roads department’s already tight budget and manpower, causing some projects to be canceled or delayed.

Gunsolley estimated the labor, equipment and materials to replace a sign averages $112. When both the sign and post need replaced, this cost can be up to $200. Signs that are further from the county shop cost the most to replace due to the distance workers must travel and the time lost in doing so.

Stop signs have been torn down, stolen or obscured with graffiti. The cost of missing signs could cost the county much more than dollars.

“It creates a hazard for the travelling public,” Gunsolley said. “A vehicle could enter an intersection not knowing they had to stop and people and property could get hurt including a fatality. We take it very seriously and so do most of the public.”

Spray paint on bridge signs covers the weight limits. Weight limits may be placed on bridges when they have structural issues such as damaged pilings or driving surface that reduces their capacity. Overweight vehicles crossing bridges pose a danger to the passengers and the bridge itself.

“It not only puts those people at risk, it also accelerates the damage of the bridge so the remaining life of the bridge is shortened, thereby making us reduce the weight limit even further,” Gunsolley said.

Gunsolley said the secondary roads crew is frustrated by the unnecessary work that keeps them from doing jobs that are needed.

“We get numerous calls from people asking, ‘Why haven’t you fixed my road yet? When are you going to fix this bridge?’” Gunsolley said. “We need to rock roads. We need to fix bridges and culverts. We need to repair pavements. Some individuals are wasting a lot of taxpayer money that needs to go to critical maintenance projects throughout the county.”

In the past year, the department estimates that 125 signs have been damaged, costing more than $18,000 in labor, equipment and materials. Fifty of those signs have been damaged in the past three months alone, with a price tag of more than $7,200.

“If all of that money was used to purchase rock, we could have purchased enough rock to rock 3.7 miles of road in the past year,” Gunsolley said. “I want the vandals to know that they are costing their family, friends and neighbors a lot of money. They are hurting everyone.”

The secondary roads department has addressed this concern by installing trail cameras in some locations, but, as of yet, no vandals have been caught in the act.

“With over 700 miles of roads and over 160 bridges (in the county) it’s difficult to be everywhere to be actively patrolling all of our signs,” Gunsolley said. “The cameras help us be in more places at once.”

There are not enough cameras, however, to be in all the places where vandalism might happen.

Gunsolley reports sign damage and theft to the sheriff’s department, but he said he understands how difficult it would be to find out who is doing the vandalism, as it generally happens overnight and they do not see it until the next morning.

Gunsolley urges county residents to be on the lookout for sign vandals and contact the sheriff’s office if they see anyone destroying or taking county property.