Hempstead, federal officials: 'I Love NY' signs must go

The Meadowbrook Parkway was designed as part of developer Robert Moses and the Long Island State Parks Commission’s grand vision in the early 20th century of connecting all residents and visitors to Long Island’s parks through scenic thoroughfares.

Since 2014, however, a series of state-sponsored tourism signs with the slogan “I Love NYC” has appeared along state roads, including parkways. The signs were recently added to the Meadowbrook Parkway, blurring its distinction from the state’s busier highways, which have also been dotted by the signs. With recent developments on Long Island and in Washington, D.C., however, it appears the signs might soon be gone.

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Anthony Santino held a news conference Friday calling for the signs' immediate removal. In a release, Santino said that “the signs are pointless, provide no valuable information, distract drivers and constitute 'visual pollution.'”

Also, later this month, Federal Highway Administration officials will meet with state Department of Transportation officials to discuss the potential removal of the signs — not because they have changed the character of the state’s parkways, but for safety reasons.

According to FHWA spokesman Neil Gaffney, the signs are against federal law, and the state DOT has known this since 2011.

“We have been clear with NYSDOT that its tourism-related signs are out of compliance with federal law and create a safety concern,” Gaffney said Wednesday. “A particular area of concern for us is [the] fact that we are committed to reducing scenarios involving distracted driving, and these signs can distract drivers.”

The large blue signs, which total 514 statewide, began popping up in 2014 as an intended boon to the state’s tourism industry. Most say, “The New York Experience,” and refer to the “I [Heart] NY” app and Taste NY.

Shortly before the signs were erected, Gov. Andrew Cuomo touted them as the next big thing in the state’s efforts to grow its tourism industry.

“These campaigns link online to all those attractions in that particular area, all along the thruway and all along major routes,” Cuomo said in his State of the State address in 2014. “The goal is to get people who are on the roads off the roads and into communities and fostering and promoting the economy of the state of New York.”

The federal government and Town of Hempstead are not the only government bodies that do not “love” the sign campaign, however. According to a July report in the East Hampton Star, complaints about the signs from residents and officials resulted in seven of eight being removed over the summer.

Also, a Change.org petition has sprung up urging U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, State Sen. Michael Venditto and State Rep. David McDonough to do all they can to get the signs removed.

“Meadowbrook Parkway is rural stretch of land with beautiful trees bordering the road on both the north and southbound lanes,” the petitioner wrote. “The addition of the [signs] detracts from its natural beauty and create a visual distraction. These signs are better placed on a road such as Sunrise Highway.”

Acting Department of Transportation Spokesman Ed Hearn said Wednesday that all signage in the state is governed by the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Devices, so he could not comment on the signs and their effect on the character of parkways.

“From an engineering standpoint, you just follow the rules in there. There’s nothing different in terms of parkways per se. Everything falls under the MUTCD,” he said.

FHWA maintains that the signs do not comply with the manual, and according to Gaffney, New York could face penalties if they remain as they are.

“We are working to bring the state into compliance. If it becomes clear that is not going to happen, we will make a determination about the penalty,” he said. “It could be a range of things from withholding federal approval for projects to withholding highway funding.”

A date has not been set for the meeting between FHWA Administrator Greg Nadeau and NYSDOT Commissioner Matt Driscoll as of yet, but Gaffney said that it would take place in Washington, D.C.

According to Hearn, of New York’s DOT, state officials do not plan to act or change their position before the meeting.

“These signs are a critical element in the strategic promotion of the state’s multi-billion-dollar tourism industry,” he said, “and as we have said repeatedly, we believe them to be in full compliance with federal law. We will continue to engage with FHWA and look forward to meeting with them to ensure all their additional questions are answered.”