BANNED: Say Goodbye to the Humorous Minnesota Highway Signs

There's a good chance that you've come across a funny or clever electronic sign on a Minnesota highway at least once over the past few years. The Minnesota Department of Transportation runs those signs and sadly the funny signs aren't going to be around much longer.

Funny Electronic Signs on Minnesota Highways

The signs are used for many different situations. They're used to tell drivers about a crash up ahead, any backups, or if there's a weather threat. They're also used to remind people to drive the speed limit, buckle up, and have a sober ride.

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Of course, when it comes to things like crashes and weather alerts, those messages are straightforward. With the messages to drive safe, MnDOT likes to get a little creative with it.

They'll make pop culture references, use current slang, or crack a joke.

I'll admit, some of them are groan-worthy but I still enjoy them! I've always thought they're a fun and unique way to get people's attention.

But the federal government thinks otherwise.

Federal Government is Banning Funny Highway Signs

There are states all across the country who have taken to making their highway signs funny and entertaining. But the US Federal Highway Administration isn't laughing.

According to the Associated Press, the Administration came out with a new 1,100-page manual last month. In the manual, they lay out new rules for these electronic signs, including that any signs that are meant to be funny, use pop culture references, have obscure meanings, etc. are banned beginning in 2026.

The reason? They say it's because "they can be misunderstood or distracting to drivers." So, starting in 2026, the signs need to be “'simple, direct, brief, legible and clear'”.

In my opinion, they're taking this too seriously. If a state was trying to make a joke on a sign to let people know about a crash up ahead, that's a problem. In that kind of situation, you need to be straightforward and to the point.

But when it comes to reminding people of the basics like buckling up and driving the speed limit, it seems totally reasonable to me to spice up the message a little. Let's be honest, when you hear the same thing over and over again it starts to go in one ear and out the other.

I'm very interested to see if MnDOT will have any clever signs in retaliation to this before the ban goes into effect.