Transportation; requiring installation of business access signage during certain projects; stating requirements for signage; effective date.
Summary
HB3664 would require contractors working on behalf of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to install business access signage whenever construction affects normal access to nearby businesses. The signage must provide clear directional guidance to business entrances and driveways and must comply with the most recent Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices standards adopted by the Department.
Before construction begins, the contractor must submit a traffic control and business access signage plan to the Department for review and approval. That plan must identify the proposed location, size, legend, and mounting details of the signs, and the Department may require changes to ensure visibility, safety, and compliance. Contractors must keep the signage in good condition during the project and remove it promptly when access impacts end. The bill also authorizes the Department to withhold progress payments or assess penalties for noncompliance, including a $10,000 per day penalty while the contractor remains out of compliance.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to Title 69 of the Oklahoma Statutes governing Department of Transportation construction projects that affect adjacent business access. It would create a statutory duty for contractors to provide and maintain business access signage, establish Department review authority over signage plans, and give the Department enforcement tools through payment withholding and daily penalties. It also preserves existing traffic-control and highway-safety laws by stating that the new signage requirements cannot interfere with official traffic control devices or violate other applicable laws.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available legislative context, the measure appears to be a practical, business-friendly transportation bill intended to reduce confusion and preserve access during road construction. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes in the provided materials, so there is no documented opposition or support to gauge broader sentiment. The bill’s structure suggests a focus on safety, visibility, and contractor accountability rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are the operational burden on contractors and the enforcement mechanism. Contractors may object to the added planning, signage, maintenance, and removal requirements, as well as the Department’s authority to modify plans and withhold payments. The $10,000-per-day penalty is a significant compliance risk and could be viewed as strict or punitive. On the other hand, businesses affected by construction and transportation officials concerned with access and safety would likely support the requirement for clear directional signage.
Medical marijuana; transportation license; allowing transport of medical marijuana to patients; warehouses; inventory manifests and logs; signage; effective date.
Emergency management; prohibiting Governor from closing businesses under certain circumstances; requiring due process for businesses ordered to close. Effective date. Emergency.
Initiative and referendum; establishing requirements for gist of proposition; establishing requirements for collection of signatures; requiring certain disclosures. Emergency.