BOULDER, Colo. — The transportation staff for the City of Boulder were dispatched out to the city streets on a special mission Tuesday afternoon – to remove illegally posted traffic signs in at least four locations.
The signs use some choice words for drivers, asking them to put their cell phones down, avoid distracted driving and obey the posted speed limit. Boulder Police said they don't know who posted the signs or when they were posted. The Boulder Daily Camera first reported on the signs Tuesday.
The signs offer similar sentiments using foul language.
"I’m guessing that it’s a concerned citizen that is kind of fed up with the behavior they’re seeing in their neighborhoods or other neighborhoods," Boulder police commander Darren Fladung said. "So I definitely appreciate the gesture behind what they’re intending to do, but again, like I said, it is a crime and there’s other means people can take to try and let us know of these behaviors."
Boulder Police spokesperson Dionne Waugh said the signs look professionally made and the transportation department had to find a special tool to remove the signs from the posts. She wasn't sure if the city's team would get to remove all of the signs Tuesday night.
Fladung said it's likely a lot of work went into installing these signs, so putting them up is probably just as tedious as taking them down. He hopes someone may be able to spot the suspect and call police.
"There’s always potential someone in the community may have seen them as they were placing these signs throughout the different neighborhoods," Fladung said.
The illegal signs that the city is aware of were posted at four locations:
- Table Mesa Drive and South Broadway
- 28th Street and Jay Road
- 28th Street and Palo Parkway
- 28th Street and Diagonal Highway
9NEWS found another illegal sign posted at 28th Street and Cordry Court.
"I appreciate the fact that it’s drawing attention to the fact that we’d like people to slow down and not be on their phones, but there’s probably, again, a few more appropriate ways about getting that message out," Fladung said.
Boulder Police said they are investigating the incident as "criminal tampering," and asked anyone with information about the illegal signs to call non-emergency dispatch at 303-441-3333.