KENTON COUNTY, Ky. — With the midterm election just around the corner, campaign signs are popping up everywhere across Northern Kentucky — and transportation officials say some of them are creating a safety concern along state highways and rights-of-way.
"This is not a political issue; this is a safety issue," said Jake Ryle with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. "We're trying to make sure that those state-maintained rights-of-way are cleared for our crews to potentially do mowing or other operations that they need to do. But it also distracts drivers."
According to KYTC, where right-of-way markers or fences are not visible, the right-of-way generally extends from 15 to 30 feet from the edge of pavement. Signage should be behind sidewalks or behind the ditch line and outside areas commonly mowed or maintained by the state.
WATCH: KYTC officials urge campaign sign best practices around state highways
However, the cabinet has already seen its fair share of campaign signs that don't follow those rules. We asked how many have already been taken down this election season.
"Easily hundreds. We cover a large area of Northern Kentucky and everything, and the frustrating thing about that is that it ultimately takes our maintenance crews away from the projects that they should be focusing on," Ryle said.
For some residents, the roadside political signs aren't a concern.
"I just know that it's, it's campaign season and it's just what it's gonna be. So I just kind of go with the flow. It's, it doesn't really bother me," Karen Wood, a Florence neighbor, said. "I know it's the time of year. I know that people need to get their names out."
KYTC officials are still stressing the importance of candidates following the rules and the laws along state roads this campaign season.
"You just want to make sure that whatever sign that you have that's posted or put up is not distracting the public, distracting the drivers from what they need to be focusing on, which is safety and getting to and from where they need to go safely," Ryle said.
You can find more information on the KYTC Facebook page by clicking here..
