Law enforcement asked to help stop theft of road signage

KENTUCKY (WTVQ)- With the recent flooding issues, roads have been closed because of high water and are often marked with official signage.

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is now asking for assistance from law enforcement because of theft and vandalism to the signs.

Water Over Road, Highway, and Road Closed signage marking sections of flooded highways across the region have been stolen and vandalized. In this week alone, highway personnel has replaced multiple signs in several locations on more than one occasion.

The McCracken County Highway Maintencance Crew said they’ve replaced signage 3 times along a flooded stretch of KY 131/Said Road in the Clarks River bottoms at the McCracken-Graves County Line.

The Webster County Highway Maintenace Crew says they’ve replaced signage along KY 109 near the Wheatcroft community twice.

Webster County Crews also report that while flaggers were on KY 109 when it was restricted to one lane near the Wheatcroft community, a motorist stopped and threw several signs into a nearby ditch. Another driver reportedly tried to drive around other vehicles and KYTC crews into the lane of oncoming traffic.

Calls have come in from the public complaining that flooded roadways are not marked and crews have been finding the signs from a good portions of these locations thrown into ditches or removed.

Removing signs that warn about flooded areas creates a dangerous situation for other driver and can result in a citation.

Officials ask that if you see anyone removing, damaging, or driving over signs, barrels, or barricades, please call police and give them a licence plate number and location of the incident.

Anyone caught removing, damaging, or driving over signs, barrels, or barricades could be cited and fined up to $250 then an additional $50 fine for each sign, barrel, or barricade moved.