First off, I broke the law.  Fortunately, I can still write this blog entry so I’m not behind bars in jail.  In the big scheme of things, the fact that MnDOT confiscated my open house sign that I mistakenly put on their right-of-way along Highway 55 in Plymouth, MN, isn’t a big deal.  However, it seems a little wasteful that they just throw the sign in the trash and do not allow me to go pick it up.

MnDOT confiscated my open house sign

Yes, I know many of you out there are saying I got exactly what I deserved.  Perhaps I did.  I’m just wondering  if there isn’t a better way to handle this.  Since it’s the State of Minnesota and the Department of Transportation (MnDOT) there’s not a chance this will be considered.  There is no room for discretion or judgment.  It’s one size fits all. Sorry. Have a nice day.  We can’t discriminate even with private property.  Your stuff is on our road….doesn’t matter how valuable it is…it’s ours and it’s going in the trash – and no, you can’t come get it.

Over the past several years, various cities in the Twin Cities metro have instituted new sign ordinances.  For example, in the City of Minnetonka, I don’t think you ever want to put up an open house sign any where except perhaps on your property.  Something happened to me one time in Eden Prairie and I recall having to go and pick up my sign.  At least in Eden Prairie, the city workers there just threw all the signs in to a big pile and I could go fish it out of there.  With MnDOT…not a chance. They threw it in the dumpster and for liability reasons they will not let me get it out of there according to Rich, one of the supervisors for the MnDOT shop overseeing the Plymouth, MN roads.  (In case you ever need to reach that specific MnDOT location, the phone number is 952-476-3260).

Wouldn’t it be possible for MnDOT to set aside signs for a while before they threw them away?  I can understand throwing away many of the bandit signs that litter the roadways.  Those signs are generally $2-3 each.  But real estate open house signs are often $50-$75.  In my case, my sign cost $60.  If MnDOT doesn’t want to be that customer friendly, why don’t they then charge a fine to get your sign back?  They could turn this in to a profit center.  I would have gladly paid $10 or $20 to get my sign back.  But no, they just chuck ‘em in the trash.  Bandit signs, home-made signs, open house signs…it’s all the same to them.

It’s policies like this, and thousands of other decisions the State, counties and cities makes that cause people to build animosity toward the government regulators, bureaucrats and various departments that just don’t seem to have much for common sense and decency.

Related articles

• Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Road Construction Summer 2011 (johnmurphyreports.com)