Signs of the Times

In her Concord Monitor Capital Beat column, Shira Schoenberg looks at the cost of the controversial stimulus signs on New Hampshire highway projects.

According to Bill Janelle of the Department of Transportation, 22 of the state's 24 American Recovery and Reinvestment contracts originally called for signs. An 8-by-7-foot sign costs $750, including installation; and a 10-by-9 costs $1,350.

Each project was supposed to have between two and four signs. But once half the contracts were out, the state started hearing concerns about the signs. "We said hold on, don't put anymore up," Janelle said.

Now, Janelle said, larger projects like the $25 million Interstate 93 widening have signs. Smaller resurfacing projects do not.

Janelle estimates that 30 or 40 signs were put up before the state stopped. Assuming half were the larger size, that means the state has spent roughly $36,750.