Title 31, Highways, Roads, Bridges and Ferries

No person shall dig up, cut down, injure, destroy or in any manner remove any trees growing upon the right of way of any state highway without first procuring the written consent of the Department of Transportation.

Whenever any person, firm or corporation, including any public, municipal or private corporation and any privately or publicly owned utility or cooperative association, desires to dig up, cut down, injure, destroy or in any manner remove any trees growing upon the right of way of…

(1) Upon the filing of the application mentioned in ORS 377.040 the Department of Transportation may, if in its judgment and discretion the destruction or removal of the trees will not mar or in any way affect the scenic beauty of or otherwise harm, injure or affect the highway, …

The Oregon Transportation Commission shall conduct a study of the historic, scenic and cultural values of the state highway system. The study required by this subsection is subject to the following: (1) In developing the study the commission shall appoint a volunteer citizen advi…

When a highway, portion of a highway or highway related structure is designated as an historic and scenic highway under ORS 377.100, the Oregon Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation: (1) Shall provide for the rehabilitation, restoration, maintenance and p…

As used in ORS 377.505 to 377.540: (1) “State highway” has the meaning given that term in ORS 377.710. (2) “Scenic area” means an area adjacent to or along a segment of a state highway that is within a federal or state park, is a site of historical significance or affords a view …

(1) A sign that is visible from a state highway may not be erected or maintained in an area that has been established by final order as a scenic area except: (a) Traffic control signs or devices. (b) Signs other than outdoor advertising signs, as defined in ORS 377.710. (c) Signs…

Any sign lawfully maintained in a scenic area prior to the establishment of the area as a scenic area and not included within the exceptions of ORS 377.510, shall be removed by the owner thereof prior to seven years following the establishment of the area as a scenic area, unless…

All scenic areas designated prior to October 4, 1977, shall continue to retain their designation as scenic areas. [1977 c.578 §2] Note: 377.521 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to ORS 377.505 to 377.540 by legislative action. See Preface to Orego…

The Director of Transportation shall take appropriate action for the administration and enforcement of orders issued under the provisions of ORS 377.505 to 377.545 (1975 Replacement Part). [1961 c.614 §10; 1963 c.400 §20; 1977 c.578 §4; 1993 c.741 §46]

As used in ORS 377.605 to 377.655, unless the context requires otherwise: (1) “Department” means the Department of Transportation. (2) “Director” means the Director of Transportation. (3) “Federal-aid primary system” means the federal-aid primary system in existence on June 1, 19…

The Legislative Assembly hereby finds and declares that establishment, maintenance and operation of junkyards along public highways should be controlled in accordance with the provisions of ORS 377.605 to 377.655 in order to protect the public investment in such highways, promote…

(1) The Director of Transportation shall promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of ORS 377.605 to 377.655. Except where federal law or rules and regulations require otherwise as a condition to receipt of federal granted funds, the rules shall be …

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, no junkyard in existence on June 30, 1967, may be maintained after June 30, 1967, within 1,000 feet of the nearest edge of the right of way of: (a) The Interstate System. (b) The federal-aid primary system. (c) Other state…

(1) Any junkyard which is in existence on June 30, 1967, less than 1,000 feet from the nearest edge of the right-of-way line and visible from the main traveled way of the Interstate System or the federal-aid primary system and is not in a zoned industrial area, may be screened by…

(1) Where a junkyard is in existence on June 30, 1967, less than 1,000 feet of the nearest edge of the right-of-way line of the Interstate System or federal-aid primary system, is not in a zoned industrial area, and cannot be effectively screened as provided in ORS 377.625 (1), t…

(1) Any junkyard which comes into existence after June 30, 1967, and which is in violation of ORS 377.620, is hereby found and declared to be a public nuisance. The Director of Transportation, 30 days after written notice is mailed to the person owning or operating the junkyard, …

The Department of Transportation may acquire by purchase, agreement, donation, or the exercise of the power of eminent domain, such lands or interest in lands as may be necessary for the screening or the relocation, removal or disposal of junkyards. In exercising the power of emi…

(1) The Department of Transportation may expend moneys appropriated to the department for the purposes of the screening, relocating, removal or disposal of junkyards as provided in ORS 377.625 to 377.640, except that the department may not use moneys that are subject to the provi…

Any personal property not coming within the definition of junk, except a vehicle as defined in ORS 801.590 or a manufactured structure as defined in ORS 446.561, that is deposited, left or displayed on a state highway is hereby found and declared to be a public nuisance. Except a…

(1) If personal property is deposited, left or displayed under a state highway bridge, on property along a river and within an urban growth boundary, and the personal property is a public nuisance under ORS 377.650, the Department of Transportation may remove, store and dispose o…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall adopt rules consistent with this section to provide procedures for the removal and disposition of portable signs or personal property that has been repeatedly left, deposited or displayed in violation of ORS 377.650. (2) Rules adopted by…

ORS 377.700 to 377.844 and 377.992 shall be known and may be cited as the Oregon Motorist Information Act of 1971. [1971 c.770 §1]

To promote the public safety; to preserve the recreational value of public travel on the state’s highways; to preserve the natural beauty and aesthetic features of such highways and adjacent areas; to provide information about and direct travelers to public accommodations, servic…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall ensure that all construction and engineering plans for state highways identify the locations of motorist informational signs, tourist oriented directional signs and logo signs. The department shall adopt written plans for protecting the …

(1) As part of the negotiation process between the Department of Transportation and another road authority concerning transfer of jurisdiction over a state highway from the department to the other road authority, the department shall identify any tourist oriented directional sign…

As used in ORS 377.700 to 377.844 unless the context otherwise requires: (1) “Back-to-back sign” means a sign with multiple display surfaces mounted on a single structure with display surfaces visible to traffic from opposite directions of travel. (2) “Commercial or industrial zo…

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS 377.700 to 377.780, the owner of any outdoor advertising sign in existence on May 30, 2007, located in a commercial or industrial zone in existence on May 30, 2007, that meets all requirements for obtaining an outdoor advertising sign per…

(1) For purposes of this section: (a)(A) An owner of an outdoor advertising sign shall be considered to have suffered a total loss with respect to the outdoor advertising sign if, due to a highway construction project, the outdoor advertising sign is removed from its current loca…

ORS 377.700 to 377.844, and the rules adopted pursuant thereto, apply to signs erected or maintained outside the right of way along state highways and visible to the traveling public from a state highway. A person may not erect or maintain a sign visible to the traveling public f…

A sign may not be erected or maintained if it: (1) Interferes with, imitates or resembles any traffic control sign or device, or attempts or appears to attempt to direct the movement of traffic. (2) Prevents the driver of a motor vehicle from having a clear and unobstructed view …

Notwithstanding any other provision of ORS 377.700 to 377.844, the Department of Transportation shall not issue a permit under ORS 377.725 or 377.767 unless the applicant for the permit submits affidavits that meet the following requirements: (1) The applicant must submit an affi…

(1) A person may not erect, control, relocate or reconstruct an outdoor advertising sign unless the Department of Transportation has issued a permit for the erection, control, relocation or reconstruction of the sign. (2) A person who applies for a permit to the Director of Trans…

The Department of Transportation may adopt rules establishing permit fees for purposes of ORS 377.725 and fees for an outdoor advertising business license issued under ORS 377.730. Fees established by the department shall be designed to recover the cost to the department of regul…

(1) A person shall not engage in the business of erecting or maintaining outdoor advertising signs for other persons without first obtaining an annual license therefor from the Director of Transportation and paying the annual license fee established by the Department of Transport…

(1) The permit requirements of ORS 377.700 to 377.844 do not apply to: (a) Signs of a governmental unit, including but not limited to traffic control signs or devices, legal notices or warnings. (b) A temporary sign on private property if: (A) The sign does not exceed 12 square f…

(1) To determine whether a person is giving or receiving, or has given or received, compensation or anything of value as defined by the Department of Transportation by rule for displaying a sign, the department may issue an investigative demand upon any person it reasonably belie…

Nothing in ORS 377.700 to 377.844 and 377.992 is intended to permit a person to erect or maintain any sign that is prohibited by any governmental unit. [1971 c.770 §25]

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, an outdoor advertising sign may not exceed: (a) A length of 48 feet; (b) A height, excluding foundation and supports, of 14 feet; or (c) A sign area of 825 square feet. (2) In determining the dimensions of an outdoor adver…

(1) For the purpose of applying the spacing provided by subsection (2) of this section: (a) Distances shall be measured lineally along the highway and parallel to the center line of the highway. (b) A back-to-back sign, digital billboard, double-faced sign, V-type sign or tri-vis…

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of ORS 377.715, 377.725 and 377.770, the Department of Transportation may issue permits for outdoor advertising signs placed on benches or shelters erected or maintained for use by customers of a mass transit district, a transportation district …

(1) The Department of Transportation shall issue permits for the erection of signs authorized by ORS 377.756 to 377.758. Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, permits shall be issued at no cost to any city or county that applies or to any nonprofit or civic applican…

(1) A sign authorized by ORS 377.756 shall not exceed 48 square feet in size and may not have a vertical or horizontal dimension of more than eight feet. Nothing in this subsection affects size requirements for signs of a governmental unit that are authorized under ORS 377.735. (…

If appropriate federal authorities notify the Department of Transportation that the erection of a sign pursuant to any of the provisions of ORS 377.756 to 377.758 is contrary to any federal law, the department shall cease issuing permits and shall cause any signs erected pursuant…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall administer an incentive program to encourage voluntary removal of outdoor advertising signs from particularly scenic areas of scenic byways. (2) An owner of an outdoor advertising sign that is visible from a scenic byway may apply to the…

The Department of Transportation shall issue a relocation credit upon the owner’s request if a sign is removed, the owner has lost the lease for that sign site and the sign and permit meet the requirements of ORS 377.700 to 377.844. [2009 c.463 §3] Note: See note under 377.759.

The owner of a relocation credit may combine relocation credits for outdoor advertising signs that have 249 square feet or less of display surface on one side to form a single relocation credit. After the relocation credits are combined, the Department of Transportation shall can…

(1) Outdoor advertising signs in existence on May 30, 2007, and lawfully located within commercial or industrial zones in existence on May 30, 2007, and outdoor advertising signs visible from a road or street that is designated as a state highway after May 30, 2007, and lawfully …

A permit or a relocation credit shall be issued for the relocation of a permitted outdoor advertising sign lawfully located within a commercial or industrial zone in existence on May 30, 2007, if the site lease for the sign is terminated for any reason. The existing outdoor adver…

Notwithstanding ORS 377.700 to 377.844: (1) Issuance of a permit under ORS 377.767 to relocate an outdoor advertising sign for which a permit has been issued under ORS 377.725 does not cancel the original permit issued under ORS 377.725 except as provided in this section. The app…