Road sign vandalism increasing, road commissioner says

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">SALINE COUNTY &#8211; It's not unusual to take a drive on a county road and see a road sign with a little age, a scrape from a farm implement or the odd bullet hole.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In Harrisburg Township, though, sign replacement is becoming necessary due to a high rate of vandalism, the township's road commissioner says.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"This sign here is shot up," Road Commissioner Bob Holmes says, pointing to a bent-up sign with easily 50 or more bullet holes.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"Yeah, it's shot to pieces," township worker Charlie Hyers says in agreement.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">He shows another piece of metal that could pass for an abtract art work &#8211; were it not a vital road sign Tuesday afternoon.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"We had gotten a call saying a sign was painted over, so the guys came out and replaced it yesterday," Holmes said. "They got done putting it in about 3:30 p.m. A motorist called me at about 6 p.m. saying the sign was covered up with paint. It was just installed a couple hours earlier."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Wednesday afternoon, Holmes' crew was replacing signs on Mt. Moriah Road north of Harrisburg. He said the sign vandalism isn't limited to that road.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"We've had signs vandalized on Ingram Hill Road, too," he said. "It's all over."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">He said he is concerned about cost to the township to replace the signs, because township budgets are small.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"The sign themselves are not too expensive," Holmes said. "But with manhours of labor added in, you're looking at around $1,200 to $1,500 a sign,"

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Worse, he said, is the safety issue the vandalized signs create.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"These signs are necessary for motorists, and they're really supposed to be at eye level for a driver," Holmes said. "We had to put this last one up 10 feet in the hopes that it's too far off the ground for people to spray paint it."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Many of the signs are on rural roads, which makes protection difficult, Hyers said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"We rely on people who call Bob or the sheriff's office to report vandalism," he said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Holman asked that anyone who sees suspected vandalism contact the Saline County Sheriff's Office at (618) 252-8661 or his number (618) 252-7501.