Billboards: Four states ban roadside signs

Four U.S. states have banned off-premises billboards, a regulatory move that distinguishes them from the rest of the country. Hawaii, Alaska, Vermont, and Maine are the only jurisdictions where roadside advertising on land not owned by the advertised business is prohibited.

Vermont passed its ban in 1968. Maine followed a decade later. The bans in Hawaii and Alaska predate their statehood. In 1998, Alaska voters approved a measure to tighten these existing restrictions.

John Kessler, chair of the Travel Information Council in Vermont, cited traveler surveys to explain the state's reputation. He noted that when asked what they liked most about Vermont, the number one response is the lack of billboards.

Mark Falzone, president of the nonprofit Scenic America, said his organization has worked for decades to gain momentum for these bans. Scenic America is based in Washington, D.C. Falzone previously served as the state representative for Saugus and surrounding communities for ten years. He took the Scenic America job in 2017.

Falzone described the opposition as a multibillion-dollar industry. Three large companies, Lamar, Clear Channel, and OUTFRONT Media, control approximately 250,000 billboards. The Out of Home Advertising Association of America serves as the primary trade group for this sector.

Falzone argued that industry studies claim billboards do not distract drivers, despite the signs being designed to draw attention. He said the danger has increased with the rise of digital displays that change constantly. He stated there is no commonsense argument for allowing such distractions on roadways.

Scenic America provides sample legislation modeled on the laws in the four banning states. This model language has withstood repeated legal challenges from the billboard industry. The bans in those states still allow businesses to advertise on their own property.

Falzone explained that a ban can be enacted by the legislature or a ballot measure. The process bans new billboards and makes existing ones noncompliant. An amortization process compensates owners of existing signs. Owners keep the billboards up for a set number of years, and the revenue earned during that period replaces the money the state would otherwise pay.

The billboard industry has tried to pass laws to disallow amortization, according to Falzone. He said the process works, even if it takes several years for all signs to disappear. Oregon capped the number of billboards in 2007, requiring one to be removed for every new one added.

An estimated 700 communities worldwide have banned billboards. These include Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2006, and Grenoble, France, in 2014. San Francisco banned new billboards in 2002 and has since passed increased restrictions on other forms of outdoor advertising.