Wyo. Code R. 045-0003-26
General Agency, Board or Commission Rules
Chapter 26: Interstate Logo Signing
Effective Date: 02/04/1994 to 08/17/2006
Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations
Reference Number: 045.0003.26.02041994
Section 1. Authority. The Wyoming Department of Transportation pursuant to W.S. 24-2-105 and 24-2-115 is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations governing specific motorist information signs within rights-of-way on interstate highways.
Section 2. Purpose of Rules. The purpose of these regulations is to provide for the installation and administration of motorist information signs giving specific information, by means of logo panels, for gas, food, lodging, and camping facilities which are accessible from eligible interchanges.
Section 3. Requests. Requests for signing, general inquiries and program management will be administered by the Traffic Operations Program, Wyoming Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 1708, Cheyenne, WY 82003. Any appeal of a decision relative to these rules and regulations shall be made within thirty (30) days by a written request to the Wyoming Department of Transportation, requesting a formal or an informal hearing in accordance with Chapter III, Appeals and Hearings. Failure to request a hearing will be deemed to be consent to the decision by the Department.
Section 4. Eligible Interchange. These regulations are applicable to the designated Interstate Highway System in the state of Wyoming. An eligible interchange must have an exit and entrance ramp, or returned route signed by the Department. Interstate to interstate interchanges shall not have logo signing. An exception will be made on interchanges connecting interstate to interstate spurs or business loops.
Section 5. Eligible Activities. These regulations cover motorist information signs containing individual business panels for gas, food, lodging, and camping. No other facilities are eligible for consideration.
Section 6. Existing Service Signs. When motorist information signs are installed, the existing service sign for the respective activity i.e., food, gas, lodging, and camping, may remain in place in urban areas.
Section 7. Fabrication and Installation of Signs. All motorist information signs and supplemental directional signs shall be fabricated and installed by the Department. The individual logo panels shall meet Wyoming Department of Transportation specifications as described in Section 18 and shall be furnished by the approved business applicant and installed by the Department. Motorist information signs will be installed as part of the Wyoming Department of Transportation's regular and routine sign installation and maintenance programs. All signing concerning motorist safety and primary guidance will be the first priority.
Section 8. Locations of Qualifying Business. To qualify for motorist information signs, the eligible activity must be located within fifteen miles of the closest interchange ramp termini.
Section 9. Order of Motorist Information Signs and Supplemental Directional Signs. All signs shall be erected in the following order, beginning with the sign closest to the interchange: (a) gas, (b) food, (c) lodging and (d) camping. Where there is no business interest in signing for any one activity at a location, and space allows, the next lower priority service may be signed. Supplemental directional signs shall be installed in the same order indicated above. (See Figure 1)
Section 10. Number of Motorist Information Signs and Supplemental Directional Signs Allowed. Only one motorist information sign for gas, food, lodging, or camping may be located in each direction from the closest interchange to the respective eligible activity. Only one supplemental directional sign for gas, food, lodging, or camping may be located along an exit ramp of the closest interchange to the respective eligible activity.
Section 11. Number of Logo Panels Allowed. The number of logo panels allowed on motorist information signs and supplemental directional signs shall be as follows:
(a) Three logo panels for gas consisting of one row with three logos. Sign type 1 and 1-R. (See Figure 2)
(b) Six logo panels for gas consisting of two rows with three logos in each row. Sign type 2 and 2-R. (See Figure 2)
(c) Two logo panels for food, lodging, or camping consisting of one row with two logos. Sign type 3 and 3-R. (See Figure 3)
(d) Four logo panels for food, lodging, or camping consisting of two rows with two logos in each row. Sign Type 4 and 4-R. (See Figure 3)
(e) Six logo panels for food, lodging or camping consisting of two rows with three logos in each row. Sign type 5 and 5-R. (See Figure 3)
(f) Two logo panels for the combination of any two services for gas, food, lodging, or camping consisting of one row with two logos. Sign type 6 and 6-R. (See Figure 4)
(g) Four logo panels for the combination of any two services for gas, food, lodging, or camping consisting of two rows with two logos in each row. Sign type 7 and 7-R. (See Figure 4)
Section 12. Business Closure. In the event that the qualifying business is closed for seven or more days, the participant is required to notify the Wyoming Department of Transportation, Traffic Operations Program, so the respective logo panel can be covered or removed. The logo panel fee will be charged when the logo is covered, uncovered, removed or replaced.
Section 13. Change of Business Ownership or Facility Name.
(a) In the event a participating business is sold or changes ownership but continues the same service at the same location, the existing logo panel space may be transferred to the new owner upon approval of the Wyoming Department of Transportation, Traffic Operations Program, providing the new owner meets all qualifying criteria for logo signing.
(b) A logo panel space cannot be sold or transferred except as described in Section 13 (a).
(c) Should the name of the facility be changed for any reason, the participant must notify the Wyoming Department of Transportation, Traffic Operations Program, within thirty days.
(a) The motorist information signs erected will be no larger than necessary to display the logo panels initially requested. In the case of a single approved applicant business, that applicant will be responsible for the entire cost of the signs installed with the right of reimbursement from subsequent approved applicant businesses so that each approved applicant business will share equally in the sign cost. The right to reimbursement shall expire when the maximum number of business panels per sign have been installed or when it becomes necessary to change to a larger and/or additional sign.
(b) If there is a vacancy on an existing sign, applications for the vacancy will be accepted on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. The cost of the vacant panel space will be a proportionate share of the entire sign cost.
(c) If there is no vacancy on an existing sign and it is necessary to install a larger and/or additional sign to accommodate a new participant, the new participant will pay all costs of the new sign. The new participant will also pay a fee for the removal and reinstallation of the existing logo panels. When the new or additional sign provides a vacant panel position, the fee for this position will be a proportionate share of the fees charged for the revision.
(d) When a vacancy occurs on an existing sign that was full, the Department will announce the vacancy by issuing a press release and publishing a notice in the local newspaper where the service sign is located. The public notice will run once a week for two successive weeks and applications will be accepted for a period of 15 days following the last public notice. After the closing date for applications, a random drawing will be held to determine the replacement logo applicant. Unsuccessful applicants will have their applications and application fees returned.
(a) When a participant wishes to discontinue participation in the logo signing program, a written notice of cancellation shall be submitted to the Department. If the participant is the lone participant on a sign, the Department may remove the sign and the participant may have the sign by paying the removal costs.
(b) When a participant chooses to cancel participation on a sign which has other participants, the vacant space will become available to other qualified applicants. The participant will relinquish all rights to future rebates of any kind.
Section 16. Types of Services. Gas, food, lodging, and camping facilities and establishments desiring motorist information signing shall be eligible subject to the following criteria:
(a) The facility has all licenses or permits required by state or local authority prior to application for motorist information panels.
(b) The facility has telephone service available to the public. (c) The facility is open for business seven days a week from May 1 through September 30. (d) Gasoline facilities, in addition to a, b and c, must have fuel, oil, water, rest rooms and must be in continuous operations at least 16 hours a day, seven days a week. (e) Food facilities, in addition to a, b, and c, must provide a minimum of two prepared meals per day. (f) Camping facilities, in addition to a and c, must have potable water and modern sanitary facilities. A phone is not required. (g) Lodging facilities, in addition to a, b and c, must have adequate sleeping accommodations.
(a) Lateral Clearance, Mainline Interstate. Motorist information signs shall normally be installed fifty feet from the edge of highway shoulder to the near edge of the sign. Where narrow highway right-of-way exists or the terrain does not allow the normal lateral clearance, the sign may be moved closer to the highway. The specific location of motorist information signs shall be determined by the Department. (b) Relationship to Interchange and Mainline Interstate. Motorist information signs shall be erected not less than 1000 feet in advance of the interchange ramp gore point. A minimum spacing of 800 feet is required between the information signs. A minimum spacing of 500 feet is required between the information sign and other existing signs at the respective interchange. All motorist information signs shall be erected between the previous interchange and 1000 feet in advance of the ramp gore. If the signs cannot be erected within this area, the signs will not be approved. (c) Exit Ramps. Exit ramp signs shall be located along the interchange ramps where the services are not visible by approaching traffic from either the main travelway or interchange exit ramp. The logo panel shown on the motorist information signs shall be duplicated on the exit ramp signs. Determinations on the need for ramp signing shall be made by the department. (d) Lateral Clearance, Exit Ramps. Supplemental directional signs shall normally be installed thirty feet from the edge of the ramp to the near edge of the sign. Where narrow highway right-of-way exists or the terrain does not allow the normal lateral clearance, the sign may be moved closer to the ramp. The specific location of supplemental directional signs shall be determined by the Department. (e) Relationship to Crossroad. Supplemental directional signs shall be installed with a minimum spacing of 200 feet from the edge of crossroad to the sign. A minimum spacing of 100 feet must be maintained between supplemental directional signs and/or existing ramp signs. (f) Trailblazer Signs. Appropriate trailblazer signs may be required by the Wyoming Department of Transportation to adequately direct motorists to the respective business. These trailblazer signs shall be installed by the Department if located on the State Highway System. The trailblazer sign shall be furnished by the participant. No more than two trailblazer signs will be installed on the State High- way System. In the event that the route to the respective business cannot be adequately marked on the State Highway System with two trailblazer signs, the Department may elect to deny logo signing for that business. In the event additional trailblazer signs are needed off the State Highway System, the participant shall be responsible for the installation of the additional trailblazer signs, as required by the Department. All trailblazer signs that are required must be installed before any signing is erected by the Department. (See Figure 5)
(a) Logo panels and trailblazer signs shall be furnished by the participant. (b) A sketch showing the design of the logo message with dimensions and colors shall be submitted for approval with the application. (c) Logo panels shall be fabricated with reflective sheeting applied to an aluminum backing having a minimum thickness of 0.032 to a maximum thickness of 0.080. Trailblazer signs shall be 0.080 aluminum. Aluminum and reflective sheeting shall meet standard specifications of the Wyoming Department of Transportation as follows:
Aluminum: 6061-t6 with a minimum of 5052-h38
Reflective Sheeting: 3m engineering grade or equivalent
(d) Logo panels and trailblazer signs shall be professionally fabricated by silk screen or direct applied method to develop the sign face. (e) Panels which have identification symbols or trademarks may be reproduced in the colors, shape and design customarily used. (See Figure 6) (f) Panels which do not display a logo symbol or trademark shall have a blue reflectorized background with a white reflectorized legend border. (See Figure 7). Lettering shall be a minimum of 10-inches in height for the primary business name. (g) Messages, symbols, and trademarks that resemble any official traffic control device are prohibited. (h) Free hand painting shall not be permitted on any part of the finished panel. (i) The legend or logo on the supplemental directional information sign used on ramps shall be a duplicate of the legend or logo used on the motorist information sign. Trailblazer signs shall also duplicate the legend or logo with appropriate arrow. (See Figure 5 for trailblazer sign) (j) Logo panels and trailblazer signs shall be delivered to the Traffic Operations Program, Building No. 6188, Wyoming Department of Transportation, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009 for installation.
(k) The legend “diesel” or “propane” may be placed within the gas logo panel if the qualified business has diesel or propane fuel available during the hours of operation. The height of the legend “diesel” or “propane” shall be 6' for a 48' x 36' logo and 3' for a 24' x 18' logo.
(l) The legend may contain the months of operation for seasonal businesses. When the months are displayed, the letters shall be 6' in height on the motorist information signs and 4' in height on the ramp signs.
(a) Fees for erecting, maintaining and administration of specific information signs shall be paid in advance by the approved applicant business. Application fees and fees for erecting information signs, supplemental directional signs, and trailblazer signs are a one-time charge. Administration fees will be charged on an annual basis. The first year’s administration fee will be prorated on a monthly basis depending on the approval date of the application. Thereafter, the participant will be billed at the beginning of each calendar year. Logo panel fees and trailblazer sign fees will be billed whenever a logo is covered, removed, replaced, or for late installation.
(b) The cost to replace or repair an entire sign because of natural wear, acts of nature, or vandalism will be prorated among the participants whose logos are displayed on the sign.
(c) All fees will be due 30 days from the date of billing and no fees will be refundable with the exception of a cost share fee for erecting information signs and supplemental directional signs as explained in Section 14 (a).
(d) Failure to pay fees within 30 days from the date of billing will cause participation to be terminated and the logos removed for the respective participant’s business. All rights to future rebates will be relinquished.
(e) All fees will be evaluated each year and adjusted to cover actual costs.
A separate application and application fee are required for each service at each Interchange. Some special locations will be allowed a variance where signing in one direction will be provided at one interchange and signing for the other direction will be provided at another interchange. The special locations will require only one application and fee for each service.
The sign types will be determined by the Department after receipt of applications. Sign costs are based on the signs constructed and installed by the Department and mounted on wood posts. These costs will be evaluated each year and adjusted to cover actual costs. If the fabrication and/or installation of the signs is done by an entity other than the Department, the sign cost will be based on actual cost to the Department.
An annual administration fee will be charged for each type of service at each interchange, except special locations which will require one fee for signing at two interchanges, regardless of the number of motorist information signs, supplemental direction signs, or trailblazer signs installed. The first year fee will be prorated on a monthly basis depending on the approval date of the application. Thereafter, the applicant will be billed at the beginning of each calendar year.
Section 23. Logo Panel Fees. A fee will be charged for replacement of logo panels due to damage, change of logo, general maintenance, temporary business closure or other undetermined reasons.