S.C. Parks, Recreation & Tourism says businesses seeking roadside directional signs must complete a two-step application overseen by three state agencies.
Based on a release from S.C. Parks, Recreation & Tourism.
Tourism- and agritourism-related businesses seeking directional signage on rural highways must go through a two-step application process, according to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
The Agriculture and Tourist Oriented Directional Signage Programs, known as TODS, allow qualifying facilities to place directional signs in the highway right of way in rural areas, according to SCPRT. The South Carolina Department of Agriculture and SCPRT are responsible for promoting the programs and screening businesses for eligibility, while the South Carolina Department of Transportation oversees the program and maintains its regulations, according to SCPRT.
The regulations were developed jointly by the three agencies and comply with the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices, according to SCPRT.
In the first step, businesses must submit a pre-approval application to SCPRT for tourism-oriented facilities or to the Department of Agriculture for agritourism-oriented facilities, according to SCPRT. Applications are due by April 30 or Oct. 31 each year. The oversight committee meets semi-annually, in July for applications submitted in the first half of the year and in January for those submitted in the second half, according to SCPRT.
Businesses that meet qualification requirements receive written certification to include with an official application submitted to SCDOT, according to SCPRT.
In the second step, SCDOT’s authorized agent, South Carolina Logos Inc., administers the program and fabricates and installs all signs, according to SCPRT. The TODS program oversight committee, chaired by SCDOT, reviews and approves or rejects final applications as required by section 58-25-8 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, according to SCPRT. Approved applications are forwarded to South Carolina Logos Inc. to begin the participation process, according to SCPRT.
