Moab motorists may have noticed nonstandard messages on traffic signs lately as they pause at intersections around town. Many stop signs have been tagged with a sticker that says “noise pollution”—creating the complete message “stop noise pollution,” a reference to the ongoing issue of local traffic noise that’s had residents and officials researching, discussing, and crafting policy around noise pollution and mitigation for the past several years.
A new sticker has recently started to appear on traffic signs, with a more pointed message: “Stop renting UTVs, Moab hates you.”
Grand County Commission Chair Jacques Hadler addressed the stickers in a comment preceding the Dec. 6 commission meeting.
“If there is someone who is tagging our public signs and street poles, I want to let you know that this isn’t helping to resolve any issues, but that it’s backfiring, harmful, and creating more tribalism in our community,” Hadler said, adding that divisive comments on social media and in public meetings are also “not productive.”
Tagging traffic signs is also illegal under Utah code, which includes “affixing” in its definition of graffiti. Making graffiti is classified as a felony if damages are more than $1,000; if the damages are less, the crime is a misdemeanor.
“I understand that the majority of our community would like to see us reduce noise in our neighborhoods, but these stickers are not making it any easier—it’s making conversations more difficult,” Hadler said. “We clearly hear the frustration, I promise you. But we’re only moving forward if all sides are open to finding solutions.”
