Title 31, Highways, Roads, Bridges and Ferries

(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…

(1) Signs and outdoor advertising signs erected or maintained within protected areas shall comply with the sign rules for protected areas. If any provision of ORS 377.700 to 377.844 or rules adopted pursuant thereto are more restrictive than the sign rules for protected areas, th…

Any sign that does not have a message on the display surface for a period of six months is deemed to have been abandoned by the owner and is a noncomplying sign subject to removal by the Director of Transportation under the procedure set forth in ORS 377.775. [1974 c.33 §7; 1975 …

(1) Any sign that fails to comply with ORS 377.700 to 377.844 is a public and private nuisance. In addition to the penalties provided by ORS 377.992, such a sign may be removed by the Director of Transportation or the duly authorized representative of the director as provided by …

If the Department of Transportation has issued three or more final orders in a 12-month period finding that a person has violated one or more provisions of ORS 377.700 to 377.844, the Director of Transportation may file an action for injunctive relief to enjoin the person, or any…

(1) Where the Department of Transportation elects to remove and pay for a sign visible from secondary highways pursuant to ORS 377.765 (4), upon removal, the department shall pay just compensation. (2) For the purposes of ORS 377.700 to 377.844, the department may acquire by purc…

(1) The Travel Information Council may enter into contractual or other agreements with other governmental agencies of this state or an independent contractor to study various ways of providing information deemed necessary to the traveling public by signs, information centers or o…

Pursuant to the terms of a written agreement between the Department of Transportation and the Travel Information Council: (1) The department shall furnish, erect and maintain motorist informational signs, logo signs, tourist oriented directional signs and sign plazas as requested…

(1) Whenever the Travel Information Council establishes a telephone reservation system for lodging accommodations or other travel services at a sign plaza, the costs thereof shall be apportioned among the subscribing motels, hotels, trailer parks, campgrounds or providers of othe…

(1) For the convenience and information of the traveling public, a person may upon obtaining a permit therefor display messages as may be allowed by rule adopted by the Travel Information Council for the particular type of sign on a motorist informational sign, tourist oriented d…

(1) The Travel Information Council shall by regulation prescribe the size, shape, color, lighting, and lettering of and manner of displaying messages on tourist oriented directional signs, logo signs and motorist informational signs. (2) When appropriate, logo signs, tourist orie…

(1) An application for a tourist oriented directional sign, logo sign or a motorist informational sign permit shall be submitted to the Travel Information Council on a form prescribed by the council. The application shall set forth the name and address of the applicant; the name,…

(1) An applicant for a logo sign, tourist oriented directional sign or a motorist informational sign shall pay to the Travel Information Council an initial permit fee and an annual renewal fee which shall be determined for each year by the council in advance of such year. (2) The…

Notwithstanding any other provisions of ORS 377.700 to 377.844, the Travel Information Council shall not issue, for any one place or business eligible therefor, more than two permits for motorist informational or logo signs for one direction of travel on a state highway leading t…

(1) If an outdoor advertising sign being relocated is relocated as a digital billboard or if an outdoor advertising sign being reconstructed is reconstructed as a digital billboard, an applicant for a digital billboard permit under ORS 377.725 shall either remove one existing out…

(1) The Department of Transportation shall work together with the Travel Information Council, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, the Department of State Police, the Secretary of State and owners of digital billboards to develop a public notification plan for the purpo…

(1) The Travel Information Council is created as a semi-independent state agency. (2) The Travel Information Council shall consist of nine members. One shall be the chairperson of the Oregon Transportation Commission or a person designated by the chairperson. The Governor shall a…

(1) Except as otherwise provided by law, and except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the provisions of ORS 279.835 to 279.855 and 283.085 to 283.092 and ORS chapters 240, 276, 279A, 279B, 279C, 282, 283, 291, 292 and 293 do not apply to the Travel Information Counci…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, in carrying out the duties, functions and powers of the Travel Information Council, the executive director of the Travel Information Council may contract with any state agency for the performance of such duties, functions …

The Travel Information Council created under ORS 377.835 may: (1) Erect, improve, repair, maintain, equip and furnish buildings, structures and lands as the council determines is necessary to carry out its responsibilities under ORS 377.700 to 377.844; and (2) Acquire, receive, h…

(1) All moneys collected, borrowed or received by the Travel Information Council shall be deposited into a Travel Information Council account established in accordance with ORS 295.001 to 295.108. The council may invest moneys collected, borrowed or received by the council. Inves…

(1) For the purposes of this section, “roadside rest areas” includes the following roadside rest areas in this state: (a) Suncrest, Interstate 5, near milepost 22. (b) Manzanita, Interstate 5, near milepost 63. (c) Cabin Creek, Interstate 5, near milepost 143. (d) Gettings Creek,…

(1) The Travel Information Council shall establish by rule a permit program allowing nonprofit organizations to provide free cookies, coffee or other nonalcoholic beverages at roadside rest areas managed by the council pursuant to ORS 377.841. Cookies offered under the program mu…

(1) In addition to any other persons permitted to enforce violations, the executive director of the Travel Information Council and any person specifically designated by the executive director may issue and serve citations to any person for violation of a rule adopted under ORS 36…

After the Travel Information Council has repaid the State Highway Fund for all moneys advanced or owed it may then utilize any funds received in excess of expenses to reimburse the Department of Transportation for such part of the cost of providing public service information in s…

(1) As used in this section, “nonprofit organization” means an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) A nonprofit organization may supply to the Department of T…

(1) The Department of Transportation Human Trafficking Awareness Fund is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the Department of Transportation Human Trafficking Awareness Fund shall be credited to the fund. Moneys in t…

(1) The State Parks and Recreation Department Human Trafficking Awareness Fund is established in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Interest earned by the State Parks and Recreation Department Human Trafficking Awareness Fund shall be credited to the…

(1)(a) A person who violates any provision of ORS 377.510 (1) or 377.700 to 377.844 or any regulation of the Travel Information Council adopted pursuant thereto is subject to a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per day for each day of violation, or the amount of gross revenues earned…

(1) The Department of Transportation in the name of the state may construct, reconstruct, purchase, rent, lease or otherwise acquire, improve, operate and maintain bridges over the Columbia River. (2) Notwithstanding the designation of state highways within this state under ORS 3…

For the purpose of carrying out or putting into effect the right, power and authority granted by ORS 381.005 to 381.080 or any other law, the Department of Transportation in the name of the state may make and enter into agreements with: (1) The Government of the United States or …

(1) A request for proposals or an invitation to bid issued in accordance with the provisions of ORS 381.005 to 381.080 at a minimum must: (a) Require the proposer or bidder to comply with the requirements of ORS chapters 279A, 279B and 279C and other applicable laws related to en…

The Department of Transportation may use moneys in the State Highway Fund, and any other moneys available to the department, to pay any part of the cost of the construction, purchase, financing, maintenance, operation, repair, reconstruction and improvement of any bridge mentione…