AB465: Bill Text

LRB-1792/2

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2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 465

July 19, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Kaufert, M. Williams, Ballweg, Gronemus, F. Lasee, LeMahieu, Mursau, Nelson, Steinbrink, Townsend, Turner and Van Roy, cosponsored by Senators Breske, Erpenbach, Schultz, Olsen, Wirch and Ellis. Referred to Committee on Tourism, Recreation and State Properties.

AB465,1,3 An Act to amend 86.195 (2) (b) 1. and 86.195 (5) (a); and to create 86.195 (4) (c) and 86.195 (5) (a) 4. of the statutes; relating to: attractions displayed on highway specific information signs.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law allows the Department of Transportation (DOT) to erect and maintain certain informational signs to assist motorists traveling along state highways. DOT may, with restrictions, authorize the erection and maintenance, on designated state highways, of specific information signs, which notify motorists that certain businesses located near a highway are available to provide motorist services in the category of gas, food, lodging, camping, or attraction. A motorist service generally must be located not more than three miles from the highway on which the specific information sign for the motorist service is erected except that, after May 8, 1990, if no business in the category of motorist service is available within this three-mile distance, a motorist service may be located not more than five miles from the highway on which the sign is erected.

Under this bill, a motorist service that is an attraction may be located not more than 30 miles from the highway on which the specific information sign for the motorist service is erected. No more than one sign, for each direction of travel, for the attraction may be displayed on a highway specific information sign, and an attraction's sign may be displayed only on the highway by which the attraction is most directly reached and on which specific information signs are authorized.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB465, s. 1 Section 1. 86.195 (2) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB465,2,4 86.195 (2) (b) 1. Upon Subject to sub. (4) (c), upon the request of any person, the department may authorize the installation and maintenance of a business sign on an existing specific information sign.

AB465, s. 2 Section 2. 86.195 (4) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB465,2,10 86.195 (4) (c) No business sign under sub. (3) (e) may be erected or maintained on a highway for a business that is more directly reached by any other highway on which specific information signs are authorized under sub. (2). No more than one business sign under sub. (3) (e) may be erected or maintained on a highway, for each direction of travel, for the same business.

AB465, s. 3 Section 3. 86.195 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB465,2,15 86.195 (5) (a) Distance to services. 1. Except as provided in subds. 2. and 3. to 4., a motorist service may not be located more than 3 miles from the federal-aid primary or secondary highway on which the specific information sign for the motorist service is erected.

AB465,2,20 2. Except as provided in subd. subds. 3. and 4., if no business in the category of motorist service is available within the 3-mile limit, the limit in subd. 1. may be extended in 3-mile increments to a maximum distance of 15 miles from the federal-aid primary or secondary highway until a business in the category of motorist service is reached.

AB465,3,4 3. If Except as provided in subd. 4., if no business in the category of motorist service is available within the 3-mile limit, the limit in subd. 1. may, on or after May 8, 1990, be extended to a maximum distance of not more than 5 miles from the highway.

AB465, s. 4 Section 4. 86.195 (5) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

AB465,3,9 86.195 (5) (a) 4. A business in the category of motorist service specified in sub. (3) (e) may not be located more than 30 miles from the federal-aid primary or secondary highway on which the specific information sign for the motorist service is erected.

AB465,3,10 (End)