Ariz. Admin. Code § R17-3-902 – Logo Sign Programs

A. Definitions.
“Attraction” means any of the following:
“Arena” means a facility that has a capacity of at least 5000 seats, and is a:
Stadium or auditorium;
Track for automobile, boat, or animal racing; or
Fairground that has a tract of land where fairs or exhibitions are held and permanent buildings that include bandstands, exhibition halls, and livestock exhibition pens.
“Cultural” means an organized and permanent facility that is open to all ages of the public, and is a:
Facility for the performing arts, exhibits, or concerts; or
Museum with professional staff, and an artistic, historical, or educational purpose, that owns or uses tangible objects, cares for them, and exhibits them to the public.
“Domestic farm winery” means a site licensed by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control under A.R.S. § 4-205.04 that produces at least 200 gallons and not more than 40,000 gallons of wine annually that is commercially packaged for off-premises sale, and is open to the public for tours to provide an educational format for informing visitors about wine.
“Domestic microbrewery” means a site licensed by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control under A.R.S. § 4-205.08 that produces not less than 5000 gallons of beer in each calendar year following the first year of operation and not more than 1.24 million gallons of beer in a calendar year, and is open to the public for tours to provide an educational format for informing visitors about beer.
“Dude ranch” means a facility offering overnight lodging, meals, horseback riding, and activities related to cattle ranching;
“Farm-related” means an established area or facility where consumers can purchase directly from Arizona producers locally-grown, consumer-picked or pre-picked produce, or local products produced from locally-grown produce.
“Golf course” means a facility offering at least 18 holes of play. Golf course excludes a miniature golf course, driving range, chip-and-putt course, and indoor golf.
“Historic” means a structure, district, or site that is listed on the National or Arizona Register of Historic Places as being of historical significance, and includes an informational device to educate the public about the facility’s historic features.
“Mall” means a shopping area with at least 1 million square feet of retail shopping space.
“Recreational” means a facility for physical exercise or enjoyment of nature that includes at least one of the following activities: walking, hiking, skiing, boating, swimming, picnicking, camping, fishing, playing tennis, horseback riding, skating, hang-gliding, and climbing;
“Scenic tours” means a business that offers guided tours of scenic areas in Arizona through various means, including air, motorized vehicle, animal, walking, or biking;
“Average annual daily traffic” means the total volume of traffic passing a point or segment of an interstate or other state highway in both directions for one year, divided by the number of days in the year, adjusted for hours of the day counted, days of the week, and seasons of the year.
“Business” means an entity that provides a specific service open for the general public and is located on a roadway within the required distance of an interstate or other state highway.
“Contract” means a written agreement between a contractor and the Department to operate a logo sign program or any aspect of a logo sign program that describes the obligations and rights of both parties.
“Contractor” means a person or entity that enters into an agreement with the Department to operate a logo sign program or any aspect of a logo sign program, and that is responsible for those aspects of a logo sign program as provided in the contract.
“Department” means the Arizona Department of Transportation.
“Exit ramp” means a roadway by which traffic may leave a controlled access highway.
“FHWA” means the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. DOT.
“Food court” means a collective food facility that exists in one contiguous area and contains a minimum of three separate food service businesses.
“Highway” has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S. § 28-101.
“Interchange” means the point at which traffic on a system of interconnecting roadways that have one or more grade separations, moves from one roadway to another at a different level.
“Intersection” has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S. § 28-601.
“Interstate system” has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S. § 28-7901.
“Lease agreement” means a written contract between a contractor and a responsible operator, or between the Department and a responsible operator, to lease space for a responsible operator’s logo on a contractor’s or the Department’s specific service information sign.
“Logo” means an identification brand, symbol, trademark, name, or a combination of these, for a responsible operator.
“Logo sign” means a specific service information sign consisting of a lettered board attached to a separate rectangular panel that displays an identification brand, symbol, trademark, name, or a combination of these, for a responsible operator.
“Logo sign panel” means a separate rectangular panel on which a logo is placed.
“Municipality” means an incorporated city or town.
“MUTCD” means the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, a national standard for the design and application of traffic control devices that is published by the U.S. DOT/FHWA and that is the standard for traffic control devices on the streets and highways of this state as required by A.R.S. § 28-641.
“Primary business” means:
A gas service business that is within three miles of an intersection or exit ramp; is in continuous operation to provide services at least 16 hours per day, seven days per week for the interstate system; and 12 hours per day, seven days per week, for other highways;
A food service business that is within three miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal and is in continuous operation to serve at least two meals per day at least six days per week;
A lodging service business that is within three miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal;
A camping service business that is within five miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal;
An attraction service business, or staging area of that business, that is within three miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal; or
A 24-hour pharmacy that is within three miles in any direction of an interchange or exit ramp terminal on the interstate system.
“Ramp terminal” means the area where an exit ramp intersects with a roadway.
“Responsible operator” means a person or entity that:
Owns or operates an eligible business, pursuant to subsection (C) of this Section,
Has authority to enter into a lease,
Enters into a lease for a logo sign through the rural or urban logo sign program, and
Has not become ineligible to participate.
“Rural logo sign program” means a system to install and maintain specific service information signs on a rural state highway outside of an urbanized area, as provided in A.R.S. § 28-7311(E)(2).
“Rural state highway” means any class of state highway, located outside of an urbanized area as provided in A.R.S. § 28-7311 (E)(2).
“Secondary business” means a business as follows:
A gas service business that is within three to 15 miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal, and is in continuous operation to provide services at least eight hours per day, five consecutive days per week;
A food service business that is within three to 15 miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal, and is in continuous operation to serve at least two meals per day (either breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner) for a minimum of five consecutive days per week;
A lodging service business that is within three to 15 miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal;
A camping service business that is within five to 15 miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal; or
An attraction service business, or staging area of that business, that is within three to 15 miles of an intersection or exit ramp terminal.
“Specific service” means gas, food, lodging, camping, attractions, or 24-hour pharmacies.
“Specific service information sign” means a rectangular sign panel that contains directional information, one or more logos, and the following words:
“GAS,” “FOOD,” “LODGING,” “CAMPING,” “ATTRACTION,” OR “24-HOUR PHARMACY.”
“Staging area” means a regular, designated site where a scenic tour begins.
“State highway” has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S. § 28-101.
“Trailblazing sign” means a specific service information sign that provides additional directional guidance to a location, route, or building from another highway or roadway.
“Urbanized area” has the same meaning as prescribed in A.R.S. § 28-7311(E)(2).
“Urban logo sign program” means a system to install and maintain specific service information signs on an interstate system or other state highway within an urbanized area, as provided in A.R.S. § 28-7311.
“U.S. DOT” means the United States Department of Transportation.
B. Administration.
1. 1. The Department may operate an urban and a rural logo sign program, or may select a contractor to administer an urban and a rural logo sign program. An urban logo sign program may be implemented on state highways in any urbanized areas in the state. A rural logo sign program may be implemented on state highways located outside of urbanized areas in the state. If the Department utilizes a contractor to administer an urban and a rural logo sign program, the Department shall solicit offers, as provided in A.R.S. §§ 41-2501 through 41-2673, to select a contractor.
2. 2. The Department may contract separately for an urban and a rural logo sign program.
3. 3. A contract shall specify the standards that a contractor shall use, which are contained in the MUTCD, U.S. DOT/FHWA current edition as adopted by the Department under A.R.S. § 28-641 and any other requirements and standards prescribed by the Department.
4. 4. The Department may propose its own form of a written lease agreement with a responsible operator. The Department shall prescribe the form of any written lease agreement between a contractor and a responsible operator. A contractor’s lease agreement with a responsible operator shall include, by reference, the terms and conditions of the Department’s contract with a contractor under A.R.S. §§ 41-2501 through 41-2673. A contractor or the Department may terminate program participation of any responsible operator under subsection (C)(1) of this Section.
C. Eligibility criteria for primary and secondary businesses.
1. 1. Any business is ineligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel on a particular state highway if it already has a highway guide sign installed on that state highway by a contractor or the Department. Any business is ineligible for program participation if:
  1. a. Thirty calendar days have elapsed since a contractor or the Department issued a notice of default to a business, during which time a business failed to cure the default, or
  2. b. A business has defaulted on a lease.
2. 2. Gas service business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a gas service business shall:
  1. a. Provide gasoline, diesel fuel, oil, and water for public purchase or use;
  2. b. Provide sanitary restroom facilities and drinking water;
  3. c. Provide a telephone available for public use; and
  4. d. Meet the additional requirements for a primary or secondary gas service business in the definition of a primary or secondary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
3. 3. Food service business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a food service business shall:
  1. a. Provide sanitary restroom facilities for customers;
  2. b. Provide a telephone available for public use;
  3. c. If a food service business is part of a food court located within a shopping mall, the shopping mall may qualify as the responsible operator if the food court:
    1. i. Complies with this Section, and
    2. ii. Has clearly identifiable, on-premise signing consistent with the logo sign that is sufficient to guide motorists directly to the entrance to the food court.
  4. d. Have a license where required; and
  5. e. Meet the additional requirements for a primary or secondary food service business in the definition of a primary or secondary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
4. 4. Lodging service business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a lodging service business shall:
  1. a. Provide five or more units of sleeping accommodations;
  2. b. Provide a telephone available for public use;
  3. c. Have a license, where required;
  4. d. Provide sanitary restroom facilities for customers; and
  5. e. Meet the additional requirements for a primary or secondary lodging service business in the definition of a primary or secondary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
5. 5. Camping service business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a camping service business shall:
  1. a. Be able to accommodate all common types of travel trailers and recreational vehicles;
  2. b. Have a license, where required;
  3. c. Provide sanitary restroom facilities and drinking water;
  4. d. Be available on a year-round basis unless camping in the community is of a seasonal nature in which case, the facilities in question shall be open to the public 24 hours per day, seven days per week during the entire season; and
  5. e. Meet the additional requirements for a primary or secondary camping service business in the definition of a primary or secondary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
6. 6. Attraction service business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, an attraction service business shall meet the following requirements, if applicable:
  1. a. Derive less than 50% of its sales from:
    1. i. The sale of alcohol consumed on the premises, or
    2. ii. Gambling.
  2. b. Derive more than 50% of its sales or visitors during the normal business season from motorists who do not reside within a 25-mile radius of the business.
  3. c. Provide at least 10 parking spaces.
  4. d. Provide historical, cultural, amusement, or leisure activities to the public.
  5. e. Be in continuous operation at least six hours per day, six days per week, except:
    1. i. An arena attraction shall hold events at least 28 days annually;
    2. ii. A cultural attraction shall be open at least 180 days annually;
    3. iii. A domestic farm winery or domestic microbrewery shall be open for tours at least 40 days annually;
    4. iv. A farm-related attraction shall be open at least 120 days annually; or
    5. v. A dude ranch shall be open at least 150 days annually.
  6. f. Meet the additional requirements for a primary or secondary attraction service business in the definition of a primary or secondary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
7. 7. Twenty-four hour pharmacy business. To be eligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a 24-hour pharmacy business shall:
  1. a. Operate continuously 24 hours per day, seven days per week;
  2. b. Have a state-licensed pharmacist present and on duty at all times; and
  3. c. Meet the additional requirements for a primary 24-four hour pharmacy business in the definition of a primary business in subsection (A) of this Section.
D. Responsible operator pricing and lease procedures.
1. 1. In the rural and urban logo sign programs, a contractor or the Department may use:
  1. a. Rate schedules that are established and periodically adjusted by the Department; or
  2. b. Competitive pricing established by one or more offers from potential or current responsible operators.
2. 2. A contractor or the Department may use competitive pricing or rate schedules to determine the ranking order of potential or current responsible operators who may be awarded a logo sign lease at each appropriate highway interchange or location.
3. 3. Along with the amount of available signage, competitive pricing or rate schedules may be based on any one or a combination of the following additional factors:
  1. a. The average, annual, daily traffic at, or adjacent to, the highway location of the specific service information sign;
  2. b. The population mix and relative distribution between primary and secondary businesses that appear to meet all the program requirements;
  3. c. The ranking order determined by a contractor or the Department as established by competitive pricing proposed or offered by potential or current responsible operators, or rate schedules, at each appropriate highway interchange or location; or
  4. d. The competitive market conditions, as well as economic, regulatory, logistical, and other related factors as determined by the Department.
4. 4. If any of the factors in subsection (D)(3) of this Section are used in competitive pricing or rate schedules, a contractor or the Department shall make information relevant to these factors available to businesses on the contractor’s or the Department’s website.
5. 5. If the factors in subsection (D)(3) of this Section do not resolve the business rankings at a location, a contractor or the Department shall prioritize the remaining requests for placement of a logo on a specific service information sign panel based on the following additional factors in the order listed below:
  1. a. The responsible operator situated closest to the highway intersection or exit ramp terminal;
  2. b. A gas service business or a food service business that provides the most days and hours of service to the public; and
  3. c. The first-in-time, eligible responsible operator to request placement of a logo on a logo sign panel.
6. 6. If a potential responsible operator requests placement of a logo on a specific service information sign panel at a highway intersection or interchange where there are no available placements, and does so no later than 90 calendar days before the first expiration of an existing lease with a lower-ranked responsible operator at that location, a contractor or the Department may award a lease to the highest-ranked responsible operator at that location. A contractor or the Department may establish a waiting list of requesting businesses and potential responsible operators.
7. 7. A contractor or the Department may choose not to renew an existing lease or a lease expiring within the next 90 calendar days, if another eligible business with higher priority requests placement of a logo on a specific service information sign panel at the same location.
E. Secondary businesses.
1. 1. Lease limitations. For a secondary business, a contractor or the Department may enter into a lease for up to five years or renew a lease for up to five years, with the following terms:
  1. a. A contractor or the Department shall review the lease of a responsible operator at the beginning of the 24th month of the lease term to determine if the responsible operator complies with all other terms of the lease;
  2. b. After the 24-month review, a contractor or the Department may terminate the lease and remove the appropriate logo from the logo sign panel if another eligible business with higher priority requests lease space for a logo on a logo sign panel; and
  3. c. A contractor or the Department shall notify a responsible operator at least 90 calendar days before terminating the lease and removing a logo from the logo sign panel.
2. 2. A contractor or the Department may display the following additional information on a specific service information sign for a secondary business, as space allows, based on the following ranking order:
  1. a. Distance,
  2. b. Days and hours of operation, and
  3. c. Seasonal operation.
F. Contractor or Department responsibility.
1. 1. A contractor shall follow all Department design standards and specifications for all sign panels, supports, and materials, as provided in the contract and the MUTCD.
2. 2. A contractor or the Department shall ensure that a business complies with all criteria established in this Section. A contractor or the Department may choose not to enter into a lease agreement or renew a lease agreement if the eligibility criteria in subsection (C) of this Section are not met. If a responsible operator becomes ineligible to place a logo on a logo sign panel, a contractor or the Department shall remove a logo from a logo sign panel after notifying a responsible operator as provided in the lease.
3. 3. A contractor or the Department shall require that a responsible operator certify in writing as directed that a responsible operator will comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and contractual requirements of the rural or urban logo sign program.
4. 4. Nothing in these rules shall require a contractor or the Department to place or maintain a specific service information sign at any particular interchange or intersection. A contractor or the Department shall not place a specific service information sign that obstructs or interferes with a traffic control device.
5. 5. A contractor shall not remove or relocate an existing official traffic control device, as defined in A.R.S. § 28-601, to accommodate a specific service information sign without prior written approval by the Department, or a local authority under A.R.S. § 28-643.
6. 6. A contractor or the Department shall provide a copy of the signed lease agreement to a responsible operator. A responsible operator shall deliver a logo for the logo sign panel to a contractor or the Department for installation, or contract with a contractor to fabricate a logo for a logo sign panel to a responsible operator’s, and the Department’s, specifications.
7. 7. Within 30 calendar days after receipt of a written request from a responsible operator, a contractor or the Department shall return any pre-paid lease payments to a responsible operator if a responsible operator’s logo is not installed on a logo sign panel within 90 calendar days of tendering the payments, for reasons solely caused by the Department or a contractor.
8. 8. A contractor shall obtain an encroachment permit under R17-3-501 through R17-3-509 before erecting or modifying a specific service information sign along a state highway.
9. 9. If a contractor requests an encroachment permit under R17-3-501 through R17-3-509, the Department’s staff shall decide the best placement of a specific service information sign and shall cooperate with a contractor to provide information to the motoring public as prescribed in subsection (E)(2) of this Section.
10. 10. If an urban or rural logo sign program is terminated, a contractor or the Department shall:
  1. a. Notify a responsible operator by certified mail, or a mutually agreed upon electronic communication method, of the program termination and the location where a responsible operator may claim its logo;
  2. b. Remove all sign panels and supports, as directed by the Department; and
  3. c. Refund any unused lease payments on a prorated basis to each responsible operator.
11. 11. A contractor or the Department shall solely determine the position and location of new or additional logos on logo sign panels or specific service information signs when logo sign vacancies occur on a logo sign panel or a specific service information sign panel, and a new responsible operator wishes to lease space on that panel, or a waiting list exists.
12. 12. In a lease agreement with a responsible operator, a contractor or the Department may collect all applicable taxes.
G. Urbanized or rural boundary changes. If the boundaries of an urbanized area, as identified in a subsequent decennial census, are relocated or adjusted, a contractor or the Department shall allow:
1. 1. The logo signs within the urbanized area boundaries and outside of those boundaries to remain in place until the minimum lease obligations between a contractor or the Department and a responsible operator have been fulfilled; or
2. 2. Until lease termination, whichever occurs first.
H. Signage transition. Logo signage in place at the end of a lease term following boundary changes in subsection (G) of this Section may be transitioned from the urban to the rural logo sign program or from the rural to the urban logo sign program as appropriate.
I. Elimination of exit ramp or interchange. When the Department eliminates an exit ramp or interchange from the state highway system, a contractor or the Department may install and maintain a specific service information sign at an exit ramp or interchange directly preceding the exit ramp or interchange that the Department eliminates in each direction, as follows:
1. 1. On request of a responsible operator, the Department may relocate a logo sign panel or a specific service information sign, as deemed appropriate by the Department.
2. 2. A business affected by exit ramp or interchange elimination shall meet all eligibility criteria for continued program participation as prescribed in Subsection C of this Section and the following:
  1. a. Be located directly off the interstate or other state highway, and
  2. b. Had previous routine access from the eliminated exit ramp or interchange with direct access from:
    1. i. The crossroad at the eliminated exit ramp or interchange;
    2. ii. The frontage road of the interstate or other state highway at the eliminated exit ramp or interchange, within 1000 feet of the crossroad; or
    3. iii. The frontage road of the interstate or other state highway at the eliminated exit ramp or interchange, within 1000 feet of the crossroad, as the frontage road existed before the exit ramp or interchange was eliminated.

Historical Note

Adopted effective March 22, 1985 (Supp. 85-2). Amended effective April 10, 1987 (Supp. 87-2). Former Section R17-3-911 renumbered without change as Section R17-3-909 (Supp. 88-4). Former Sections R17-3-902 through R17-3-909 renumbered without change as Section R17-3-902 (Supp. 89-1). Amended effective May 3, 1993 (Supp. 93-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 9 A.A.R. 624, effective February 7, 2003 (Supp. 03-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 9 A.A.R. 5047, effective November 4, 2003 (Supp. 03-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 3856, effective September 15, 2005 (Supp. 05-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 18 A.A.R. 1263, effective July 6, 2012 (Supp. 12-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 1324, effective July 6, 2013 (Supp. 13-2).