By Brimer H.B. No. 2336
74R5821 DRH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the placement of specific information logo signs on
1-3 certain public highways.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 4.07, Chapter 741, Acts of the 67th
1-6 Legislature, Regular Session, 1981 (Article 4477-9a, Vernon's Texas
1-7 Civil Statutes), is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), (c),
1-8 (e), (k), (l), (m), and (n) and adding Subsection (o) to read as
1-9 follows:
1-10 (a) In this section:<,>
1-11 (1) "Eligible highway" means a highway that:
1-12 (A) is located outside an urbanized area with a
1-13 population of 50,000 or more; and
1-14 (B) qualifies for a maximum speed limit of 65
1-15 miles per hour under 23 U.S.C. Section 154 or, if that law is
1-16 repealed, qualified for a maximum speed limit of 65 miles per hour
1-17 on the day before the effective date of the repeal.
1-18 (2) "Specific <"specific> information logo sign" means
1-19 a rectangular sign panel imprinted with the words "GAS," "FOOD,"
1-20 "LODGING," or "CAMPING," or with a combination of those words, and
1-21 the specific brand names of commercial establishments offering
1-22 those services.
1-23 (b) The commission shall contract with a person, firm,
1-24 group, or association in the State of Texas to erect and maintain
2-1 specific information logo signs <that give specific information of
2-2 interest to the travelling public, including specific brand names,>
2-3 at appropriate locations along an eligible highway <interstate
2-4 highways in each county with a population less than 20,000>.
2-5 (c) The commission shall:
2-6 (1) regulate the content, composition, placement,
2-7 erection, and maintenance of specific information logo signs and
2-8 supports within eligible <interstate> highway rights-of-way; and
2-9 (2) adopt rules necessary to administer and enforce
2-10 this section.
2-11 (e) To be eligible to have its name displayed on a specific
2-12 information logo sign, a commercial establishment must provide gas,
2-13 food, lodging, or camping and be located not farther than three
2-14 miles from an interchange on an eligible <interstate> highway. If
2-15 no service participating or willing to participate in the specific
2-16 information logo sign program is located within three miles of an
2-17 interchange, the commission may grant permits for commercial
2-18 establishments located not farther than:
2-19 (1) six miles from the interchange;
2-20 (2) nine miles from the interchange if no service
2-21 participating or willing to participate in the program is located
2-22 six miles from the interchange;
2-23 (3) 12 miles from the interchange if no service
2-24 participating or willing to participate in the program is located
2-25 within nine miles of the interchange; or
2-26 (4) 15 miles from the interchange if no service
2-27 participating or willing to participate in the program is located
3-1 within 12 miles of the interchange <not farther than 15 miles from
3-2 the interchange>.
3-3 (k) A specific information logo sign may not:
3-4 (1) contain a message, symbol, or trademark that
3-5 resembles an official traffic control device; or
3-6 (2) <have vertical spacing between establishment names
3-7 that exceeds eight inches or horizontal spacing between
3-8 establishment names that exceeds 12 inches;>
3-9 <(3)> contain more than six <four> establishment names
3-10 for each <service on one> sign panel<; or>
3-11 <(4) contain logos for more than one service on a sign
3-12 panel except in an area where not more than two qualified
3-13 establishments are available for a service, in which event a sign
3-14 panel may contain logos for two services>.
3-15 (l) The contractor shall place a specific information logo
3-16 so that:
3-17 (1) the sign is at least 800 feet from the previous
3-18 interchange and at least 800 feet from the exit direction sign at
3-19 the interchange from which the services are available;
3-20 (2) there are at least 800 feet between two signs
3-21 having the same legend, but the signs are not excessively spaced;
3-22 and
3-23 (3) a motorist, after following the sign, can
3-24 conveniently reenter the highway and continue in the original
3-25 direction of travel<; and>
3-26 <(4) if the service facilities are not visible from a
3-27 single-exit interchange ramp terminal, the signs are placed along
4-1 the ramp or at the ramp terminal>.
4-2 (m) A specific information logo sign that is placed along a
4-3 ramp or at a ramp terminal must be a duplicate of the corresponding
4-4 establishment logo sign except that the ramp sign must be smaller
4-5 <and omit the service information>. A ramp sign shall include the
4-6 distance to the commercial establishment and directional arrows
4-7 instead of directions written in words.
4-8 (n) The commission shall remit money received under this
4-9 section to the state treasurer for deposit into the state highway
4-10 fund. Sections 403.094(h) and 403.095, Government Code, do not
4-11 apply to funds deposited into the state highway fund under this
4-12 subsection.
4-13 (o) If the service facilities are not visible from an
4-14 interchange ramp terminal, additional signs may be placed along the
4-15 ramp or at the ramp terminal.
4-16 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
4-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-21 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-22 passage, and it is so enacted.