§347.  Removal of obstacles or hazards from highway or vicinity; campaign signs

A.  The department may apply to the court for any process necessary to prevent the installation of any structure, sign, obstacle, object, deposit, or thing within the limits of a highway contrary to this Chapter or any lawful regulation issued hereunder.

B.  Whenever any advertising sign located within fifty feet of the outer edge of the right of way constitutes a dangerous hazard to the traveling public, the department may, after due notice to the owner thereof to remove it, apply to the district court of the parish in which the sign is located for the process necessary to effect the removal of the sign.

C.  Whenever any of the things described in Subsection A of this Section are found to exist within the limits of a highway, the department may summarily remove and dispose of it at the expense of the person responsible therefor.  If it retains apparent value, the owner shall be notified, orally or in writing, to remove it within five days or such other period as may be agreed upon.  If the owner be unknown or cannot be found, a written notice shall be affixed to the object setting forth that it must be removed within a period not less than five days from the date specified.  Failure to remove within the specified period operates as a forfeiture of all rights thereto and the department may remove the object for its own use, or dispose of it at private or public sale, or destroy it, or dispose of it in any manner.  The owner and any other person responsible therefor remains liable for any damage to public property or expenditure of highways funds resulting from the installation or removal of such things.

D.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, political campaign signs shall not be erected, displayed, or posted within any highway right-of-way or litter-free zone, subject to the provisions and penalties of R.S. 30:2531 and R.S. 30:2544, and the collection and distribution of fines as provided in R.S. 30:2532.

Amended by Acts 1954, No. 126, §1; Acts 1984, No. 225, §1; Acts 1989, No. 768, §4; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 148, §6.