Unlicensed signs along highways illegal, DOT says The Utah Department of Transportation Tran-sportation is calling on all political candidates this year to comply with both the Utah Highway Beautification Act of 1967 and the National Highway Beautification Act of 1965. Under those statutes it is illegal to place signs in the right of way on Interstate In-terstate or any state highway. ' "Any signs illegally placed on the rights of way of state roads will be immediately picked up and discarded by the Department," said Boyd Hansen, Han-sen, UDOT Highway Beautification and Encroachment Coordinator. "Signs cannot be erected except in commercial com-mercial or industrial areas and owners must first be granted a permitbefore any sign may legally be erected." Under the Highway Beautification Act no outdoor advertising signs can be placed along Interstate or Primary Highway systems or within the state highway right of way without a permit. No political signs of any kind can be allowed or permitted within the state right of way. This includes telephone poles, fences, trees or existing official signs located in the right of way. Time wasted by UDOT personnel to remove those signs during election years has been considerable in the past and the Department is requesting the cooperation of all political candidates in Utah in adhering to both the intent and letter of the law.