Bloomington officials say in some cases there's no place to put a campaign sign in Downtown Bloomington because there is no right-of-way space. (WJBC File Photo)

By Paul Morello

BLOOMINGTON - With the election two weeks away, Bloomington officials are trying to curb the use of campaign signs on public property.

Mark Huber, Director of Planning and Code Enforcement, said signs tend to spread exponentially leading up to an election.

"We are asking staff to pick those signs up if they're in the right-of-way and we're taking them down to the Public Works yards where we'll keep them and you can come down and collect those," he said.

Signs will be held at the Public Works yards, on East Street, for seven days.

The right-of-way includes the area from the sidewalk to the curb. Huber said it is also illegal to put signs on public benches, telephone booths, fire hydrants, traffic control boxes or utility poles.

Huber said there shouldn't be many signs in Downtown Bloomington.

"In some cases, the building is practically right up on the street so there's very little space to put a sign," he said.

Signs are allowed on private property with the owner's consent.

Paul Morello can be reached at paul@wjbc.com.