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MnDOT says funny signs will stay despite new federal standards
Despite general guidance advising otherwise, MnDOT says its funny signs are here to stay.
MINNESOTA, USA — From the cultural references to the funny and punny, those highway signs have been getting subtle chuckles from Minnesota drivers for several years.
But now the federal government is saying cool it with the jokes, but there’s technically no outright ban on humor.
Drivers say those funny signs above their commute certainly catch their attention. Federal officials say that’s the issue.
The new federal standards published this month says messages “with obscure or secondary meanings, such as those with popular culture references” or ones “intended to be humorous” should not be used.
But so many love the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Message Monday campaign that started in 2016 meant to open the conversation around traffic safety.
MnDOT said there’s a lot of confusion surrounding these standards. The organization denied interview requests but they did give a statement.
MnDOT said it’s aware of the new guidelines and that “we do not anticipate they will change the way MnDOT shares creative highway safety messages.”
It said it will continue to work with federal partners, but see the value in its clever signs.
“We believe these messages are an important part of improving the culture of traffic safety in Minnesota, and why we will continue our Message Monday campaign,” the statement read.
The Federal Highway Administration also gave a statement, clarifying there is no outright ban on humor or pop culture references.
It did include a recommendation to avoid funny sayings in those signs that “may confuse or distract drivers.”
“You don’t want to distract drivers,” said Joshua Madsen, an associate professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. He has studied the impacts of signs related to traffic fatalities in Texas.
“We came away with this conclusion that these signs actually can take too much attention away from the task at hand,” said Madsen.
He says although he notes there is likely some level of distraction by the signs, there isn’t enough research on humorous messages to support the new standards.
“Some states certainly have taken the humor to an extreme, right?” said Madsen. “I also think this policy is extreme in just saying let’s get rid of it all. It’s a conservative approach, I want to emphasize that it’s conservative. But more research needs to be done.”
The Department of Public Safety also issued a statement about potential changes to the road signs.
“We respect and agree with the changes they are making in regards to the use of these important public messaging tools,” said Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson.
“We respect and agree with the changes they are making in regards to the use of these important public messaging tools,” said Hanson.
When asked about the office’s reaction to MnDOT’s statement stating won’t be changing their signage, they said they had nothing to add to their previous statement.
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Last week, prosecutors charged John Sawchak with attempted 2nd-degree murder and other felony charges after he allegedly shot his neighbor Davis Moturi.
MINNEAPOLIS — Following the shooting between two neighbors, the Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to request that the city’s auditor conduct an independent investigation into the incidents and cases between Davis Moturi and John Sawchak.
Moturi was allegedly shot by his neighbor, Sawchak, on Wednesday, Oct. 23 but Minneapolis police did not arrest Sawchak until days later.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara defended not arresting Sawchak sooner, calling it a “high-risk” situation. O’Hara later said the victim, who had complained about harassment from Sawchak for months, was failed by police. Sawchak was arrested this past weekend after an hours-long standoff.
Moturi suffered a fractured spine, two broken ribs, and a concussion in the shooting. “Mr. Moturi’s life matters and I’m sorry that for nearly a year, MPD did not treat it like it did,” said Council Member Robin Wonsley in a news release, “Today’s vote affirms that the City Council is committed to taking meaningful actions towards accountability and restoration, starting with this independent review.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement:
“Mayor Frey fully supports an independent review of this incident. The mayor and City are committed to always doing better, and this means closely examining past actions and finding where there may be ways to improve and grow. The mayor extends his condolences to Davis Moturi, his wife, Caroline, and their family and friends. The safety of our residents is a top priority and any form of violence or hate speech is completely unacceptable and does not align with who we are as a community. Brian O’Hara will continue to be the Minneapolis Police Chief.”
“This Valentine’s Day, 2025, will mark the five-year anniversary of the premiere of ‘Love is Blind,” Vanessa said on the Season 7 finale. “And, it is gonna be the launch of Season 8, which takes place in Minneapolis.”
The episode also revealed three of the new cast members, one of whom, “Alex,” told Lachey Minneapolis is “not like a major city, but it’s also not a small town,” which he said is just one of the obstacles in his way of finding the one.
“I just never found the right person that clicked for me,” he said.
Meantime, you can bone up on Seasons 1-7 streaming now on Netflix.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
