A long-standing sign put up by the Two Harbors Chamber of Commerce alongside Highway 61 directing visitors to the town was taken down on Thursday because it violated new billboard rules for the historic road.
Despite an all-out effort to lobby the Minnesota Department of Transportation and political leaders the past summer, the removal deadline of Oct. 1 came with no help in sight.
MnDOT ordered that the sign be taken down, saying that without a permit, it was infringing on strict billboard rules along the scenic highway.
"This is the only sign telling people to go to downtown," said Janelle Jones, tourism director for the chamber.
Another sign advertising the Lakeview National Golf Course on the other side of the city also has been deemed illegal. MnDOT said the sign is in the road right-of-way and will have to come down when the golf season is over. City Administrator Lee Klein said MnDOT is working on locating the boundary so the city simply can move the sign to a proper location near the course it owns.
ADVERTISEMENT
MnDOT surveyed Highway 61 from Duluth to Canada and found the chamber sign and one at Lamb's Resort did not have permits. As part of the National Scenic Byways system, new billboard are not allowed on 61.
If noncompliant signs were not removed, Minnesota could see a $40 million reduction in highway funding because the signs would violate the Highway Beautification Act, MnDOT spokesman John Bray said.
City and chamber leaders met with MnDOT ombudsman Deb Ledvina earlier this year to talk about the signs and possible alternatives.
In the end, the only break they got was removal dates near the end of the peak tourism and golf seasons.
"MnDOT has worked very hard to meet the requirements of state and federal law when it comes to outdoor advertising," Ledvina said. "We also try to apply some common sense to the application of the laws and rules that we need to follow -- when we can. That is what we did in the chamber sign case. We always try to serve the public in everything we do."
The chamber estimates its sign stood for more than 20 years. The dismantling Thursday revealed a general downtown sign underneath the separate business placards.
