There are five basic types of official guide sign programs available
to businesses that provide services to motorists or are an attraction,
historic site or recreational area. Check these five programs to see for
which ones you qualify and what the process is to apply.
Limited
Supplemental Guide Signs
Limited Supplemental Guide Signs
are official guide signs approaching interchanges on interstates,
parkways and other fully controlled access highways. The signs are for
historic sites, cultural, recreational or entertainment facilities or
areas of natural phenomenon or scenic beauty.
Criteria to Qualify
In
cities with less than 100,000 population, annual visitation at
attraction must be 10,000 or greater than average daily traffic count at
the attraction's interchange.
In cities with a population over
100,000, annual visitation at attraction must be 75,000 or greater than
average daily traffic count at the attraction's interchange.
Historic
sites must have annual attendance of 5,000. An historic site must be
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Attractions
and historic sites must be located within 50 miles of the interchange.
At
least one-third of attraction's visitors must come from beyond 20 miles
of the attraction or historic site.
Trailblazing Signs
If
the tourist attraction is not visible from the interchange, trailblazing
signs must be installed at locations where a turn is required once
motorist is off the interstate. Trailblazing may be in the form of
Cultural and Recreational Guide Signs, Tourist Oriented Directional
Signs, or legal billboards.
Available Interchanges
Federal
Highway Administration rules and regulations set limit of two panels
with two supplemental messages each per direction at an interchange.
Many of our interchanges across the state are at the limit and will not
be eligible for additional messages.
Priority
The Kentucky
statutes and regulations establish a priority system for granting
signage, based primarily on higher attendance and proximity to the
interstate when there are more applicants than available space at a
particular interchange.
Cost of Limited Supplemental Signs
The
cost is a non-refundable $200 application fee per signage request and
$500 per year for 10 years or cost of sign amortized over 10 years,
whichever is less.
Application for Signage Contact:
Steve Spradlin
Transportation
Cabinet
Division of Traffic
502-564-4556
Application for
Signage
See KRS 177.076-078 and 603 KAR 4:050 for the statutes and
regulations governing Limited Supplemental Guide Signs.
Post
Interchange Guide Signs
Post Interchange Guide Signs
program is a new experimental pilot project approved in Kentucky by the
Federal Highway Administration. Tourist attractions and historic sites
that have a Limited Supplemental Guide sign at their interchange on
certain interstates or parkways are eligible to apply for these signs,
which will be placed miles in advance of the interchange to give a
motorist notice of an upcoming attraction.
Available Interchanges
Under
the agreement with the Federal Highway Administration, attractions with
a Limited Supplemental Guide Sign on the following interstates can
apply to be listed on two Post Interchange signs in each direction from
the attraction, for a total of four. Signs will be placed at
approximately 10 and 20 miles from the attraction.
I-24
I-64
I-65
I-71
I-75
Parkways
Attractions on the following
parkways may apply to be listed on one Post Interchange Guide sign in
each direction; within ten miles of the attraction's interchange.
Wendell
H. Ford WK Parkway
Hal Rogers Parkway
Martha L. Collins
Bluegrass Parkway
Natcher Parkway
Mountain Parkway
Cumberland
Parkway
Pennyrile Parkway
Purchase Parkway
Audubon Parkway
New
Circle Road
Wendell Ford (Owensboro) Bypass
Control Sites
One
of the requirements of the state's agreement with the Federal Highway
Administration is that the following urban interstate loops be
considered "control sites" that will not participate in the Post
Interchange Guide Sign experimental program. These control sites are:
I-264
I-265
I-275
I-471
Post Interchange Guide Signs are
modeled after advance signs for cities. Up to three attractions may be
listed on each guide sign. Across from the name of the attraction will
either be mileage to the attraction's interchange or the exit number.
Cost/Financial
Assistance
The cost of Post Interchange Guide Signs will be the
responsibility of the applicant.
Contact:
Steve Spradlin
Transportation
Cabinet
Division of Traffic
502-564-4556
Logos
Gas,
food, lodging and camping are the four logo groups that have been
eligible for years to have their logo placed on blue background panels
on interstates and parkways. A few years ago Kentucky was given
permission by the Federal Highway Administration to allow a "fifth
legend" logo for tourist activities.
There is an annual fee for
these logos. A private company, Kentucky Logo, Inc., has a contract with
the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to install and maintain logo signs.
Financial assistance is available to assist public, non-profit
attractions with 50% of the cost to participate in the Fifth Legend logo
program.
For more information or to request an application,
contact Kentucky Logo, Inc., at (502) 227-0802. The state regulations
for the logo program, 603 KAR 4:035, provides additional information and
criteria to qualify for a logo.
Cultural and Recreational
Supplemental Guide Signs
This is a signage program for
intersections on state routes and city streets. A public or private
cultural, historical, recreational, agricultural, educational or
entertainment activity or attraction of interest to the traveling public
are eligible to be listed on these signs. Communities are required to
develop a community-wide signage program.
Criteria to Qualify
Be
open a minimum of eight hours a day, five days a week, one of which is a
weekend;
Be within 15 miles of the intersection;
If an
historic site, be listed on or have made application to be listed on the
"National Register of Historic Places"; and
Be either an annual
or seasonal activity.
Signage Design
Signs have white
lettering on a brown background panel;
Shape and size of sign is
set by regulation;
There may be up to four attractions listed on
each panel;
Community logo is permitted on top of panel.
Application
Process
Requests for approval to place these signs are to be
submitted by city, county or other official local authority or body,
such as a tourism commission, to the Permits Branch in the Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet.
Tourism Commissions or other local
authorities are required to review their signage needs on a
community-wide basis before submitting an application.
Cost of
Signage
The Department of Tourism has funds available to pay up to
50% of signage costs. Funds are limited and cannot be guaranteed once
the funds are exhausted.
Contact:
Steve Spradlin
Transportation
Cabinet
Division of Traffic
502-564-4556
Tourist
Oriented Directional Signs
TODS are the official guide
signs posted at intersections on state roads for gas, food, lodging,
camping areas and tourist activities. These are blue signs under the
heading of "Tourist Activities".
The program is administered by a
private company, Kentucky Logo, Inc., under contract to the Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet. Participants are required to pay for cost to
manufacture their sign and an annual fee to Kentucky Logo, Inc.
Financial
assistance is available to public, non-profit tourist activities for
50% of the cost of these signs. For more information on the signage
program or to request an application, contact Kentucky Logo Inc., at
(502) 227-0802.
The state regulations for TODS can be found at
603 KAR 4:040.