PennDOT, state police highlight stop sign vandalism

Over the past two weeks, eight stop signs have been damaged or knocked down in Jefferson and Franklin townships.

PennDOT is partnering with the Pennsylvania State Police to raise awareness about a recent increase in stop sign vandalism in Fayette County and the serious safety risks it creates for drivers.

During a press conference Wednesday at PennDOT’s Cloverleaf stockpile in Perryopolis, PennDOT District Executive Rachel Duda said eight stop signs have been damaged or knocked down in the past two weeks in Jefferson and Franklin townships, creating dangerous conditions at intersections throughout Fayette County.

She encouraged people to be mindful and attentive to missing stop signs and to call 911 to file a report. PennDOT deemed the situation a public safety issue that could lead to potential traffic incidents and severe injury or death to drivers.

“Drivers depend on these signs to know when to stop, yield the right-of-way, and safely navigate through an intersection. When stop signs are missing or damaged, the risk of a serious crash increases significantly,” she said. “Drivers who approach an intersection where you think a stop sign should be should slow down, use extreme caution, and be prepared to yield to the other drivers.”

Duda acknowledged that replacing vandalized stop signs costs taxpayers and takes crews away from other important road work. Sign foreman Laticia Libertino said it costs about $1,200 to replace a damaged sign, including labor, fuel, and material costs.

“It’s just wasting taxpayers’ money and our time to do this type of work,” she said.

State police Trooper Kalee Barnhart, public information officer for Troop B, encouraged the public to report any suspicious activity to police.

“Damaging a stop sign is much more than just vandalism. It’s a crime that creates a serious public safety hazard,” she said. “Stop signs are in place to protect motorists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. If you witnessed any suspicious activity, have any surveillance cameras near the area, or have information that may help us identify the individual or individuals responsible for this crime, we encourage you to contact the Pennsylvania State Police, Belle Vernon barracks.”

Duda noted an incident in 2021, where a motorcyclist was severely injured as a result of a missing stop sign that had visible evidence of intentional removal. Frequent replacements and repairs cut more out of funding for other road projects that are important, such as travel infrastructure like bridges and ramps and weather preparedness efforts like salting roadways. She noted that there are several ways to get into contact with the Pennsylvania State Police, the District Attorney, and PennDOT.

“We have other things that we’d like to do with our money than to go and get intentionally damaged signs replaced. It is a big deal. It is a safety hazard, and we don’t want to see anyone get hurt as a result of someone’s shenanigans.”

Fayette County District Attorney Michael Aubele said anonymous tips from Crimestoppers is another way to report suspicious activity or to help in the ongoing investigation.

“You know, this isn’t a traffic incident. This is a criminal incident,” he said. “This is criminal mischief, and it only takes one accident and somebody losing their life or losing a limb for this to go completely out of control.”

Anyone with information about those responsible for damaging stop signs is encouraged to contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 724-929-6262.

Travelers can check conditions on major roads by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-11, or by following regional X alerts.