07/04/2009

By WAYNE PARRY  / Associated Press

Roll up to an intersection in many places and the street sign you see might not only tell you to stop, yield or turn in a certain direction: It might also advertise a taco joint, a surf shop, a miracle diet, a political candidate, or urge tourists to go home.

From the boardwalks of the Jersey shore to the desert metropolises of Arizona and Texas, many street signs and light poles are covered with illegal advertising stickers.

Some towns are fed up and have imposed stiff fines for violators, but catching the culprits isn't easy — in part because authorities can't assume the name or business on the sticker is responsible.

The stickers can pose a pricey dilemma for towns: either spend thousands of dollars scraping them off, or leave them where they are and risk what some officials consider a run-down, shabby appearance.