Missouri Residents Share Frustration with Billboard Blight

Editorial from Post-Dispatch


Two Missourians emailed me regarding yesterday's Op-Ed piece. I pasted their comments below.

Dear Mary,

Thank you for your article in the Post-Dispatch! I live in the beautiful state of Missouri and I appreciate your organizations efforts in trying to get rid of billboards. Driving down Missouri's interstates is like watching a non-stop TV commercial. It's shameful, and an embarrassment for the state. I travel a lot throughout our state and it just makes me sick that our state and local government can't see how grotesque our landscape has become. Of course, it's real hard for them to see anything when they have dollar signs (special interests) blocking their view.

Keep up the good work,

Jeff Kezele

I could not agree more with your article on Missouri billboard proliferation in the St. Louis Post this AM. As a travel writer living in St. Louis I do a lot of driving and am always disappointed when I travel across America and compare my state to others where billboard control is so evident. Even driving between Columbia and KC the signs seem to almost disappear (not sure if it is a result of zoning) and the beauty of the countryside rushes the highway.

I am elated that the possibility of removal of even some is possible as I thought I recalled many of the permanent huge steel pole signs were erected with very long term leases.

I also remember how disappointed I was when some years ago there was some sort of legislation that resulted in a flurry of billboards being erected.

Whenever people tell me they drove across Missouri and that this is a lovely state, my first thought is always that I wonder how they saw it with all the billboards?

Jim Winnerman