Section 227.299

Title XIV ROADS AND WATERWAYS

Chapter 227

Effective - 28 Aug 2005, 5 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  227.299.  Memorial bridge or highway designations, procedure — duties of director — notice requirements — signs to be erected. — 1. Except as provided in subsection 8 of this section, an organization that seeks a bridge or highway designation to honor an event, place, organization, or person who has been deceased for more than two years shall petition the department of transportation by submitting the following:

  (1) An application in a form prescribed by the director, describing the bridge or segment of highway for which designation is sought and the proposed name of the bridge or relevant portion of highway. The application shall include the name of at least one current member of the general assembly who will sponsor the bridge or highway designation. The application may contain written testimony for support of the bridge or highway designation;

  (2) Each application submitted under this section shall be accompanied by a list of at least one hundred signatures of individuals who support the naming of the bridge or highway;

  (3) A deposit of four hundred dollars per sign proposed to designate the bridge or highway, with the funds to be used for construction of each sign;

  (4) A deposit of six hundred dollars per sign proposed, with the funds to be used to maintain each sign; and

  (5) All moneys received by the department of transportation for the construction and maintenance of bridge or highway signs shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the "Department of Transportation Bridge and Highway Sign Fund" which is hereby created. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund and shall make disbursements from the fund requested by the Missouri director of the department of transportation for personal services, expenses, and equipment required to construct and maintain signs erected in accordance with the provisions of this section.

  2. At the end of each state fiscal year, the director of the department of transportation shall:

  (1) Determine the amount of all moneys deposited into the department of transportation bridge and highway sign fund;

  (2) Determine the amount of disbursements from the department of transportation bridge and highway sign fund which were made to construct and maintain the signs; and

  (3) Subtract the amount of disbursements from the income figure referred to in subdivision (1) of this subsection and deliver this figure to the state treasurer.

  3. The state treasurer shall transfer an amount of money equal to the figure provided by the director of the department of transportation from the department of transportation bridge and highway sign fund to the state highways and transportation department fund. An unexpended balance in the department of transportation bridge and highway sign fund at the end of the biennium not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars shall be exempt from the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, relating to transfer of unexpended balances to the general revenue fund.

  4. The documents and fees required under this section shall be submitted to the department of transportation thirty days before any approval or denial by the house and senate committees on transportation during that legislative session.

  5. The department of transportation shall give notice of any proposed bridge or highway designation in a manner reasonably calculated to advise the public of such proposal. Reasonable notice shall include posting the proposal for the designation on the department's official public web site, and making available copies of the sign designation application to any representative of the news media or public upon request and posting the application on a bulletin board or other prominent public place which is easily accessible to the public and clearly designated for that purpose at the principal office.

  6. If the memorial highway designation requested by the organization is not approved by the house and senate committees on transportation, ninety-seven percent of the application fee shall be refunded to the requesting organization.

  7. Two highway signs shall be erected for each bridge and highway designation, except when a named section of a highway crosses two or more county lines, consideration shall be given by the department of transportation to allow additional signage at the county lines or major intersections.

  8. Highway or bridge designations honoring law enforcement officers or members of the armed forces killed in the line of duty shall not be subject to the provisions of this section.

  9. Upon approval of a bridge or highway designation, the department of transportation shall provide five miniature signs, free of charge, to persons or organizations sponsoring signs under this section.

  10. The provisions of this section shall apply to bridge or highway designations sought after August 28, 2005.

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(L. 2005 S.B. 233 § 227.365)