28-7311. Urban and rural logo sign programs; rules; definitions

A. The department may establish an urban and a rural logo sign program. Notwithstanding sections 28-648, 28-7048 and 28-7053, as part of the program the department may contract with a third party to install and maintain specific services information signs, known as logo signs, on any class of state highway or interstate highway system in this state. If the department contracts with a third party, the third party shall agree in the contract to:

1. Furnish, install, maintain and replace signs for the benefit of business advertisers who provide gas, food, lodging, twenty-four hour pharmacy service, attraction and camping facilities for the general public.

2. Lease advertising space on the signs to operators of the facilities prescribed in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

B. Notwithstanding sections 28-648, 28-7048 and 28-7053, as part of the rural logo sign program the department may contract with a third party to install and maintain specific services information signs, known as logo signs, on any class of state highway or interstate highway system, located outside of an urbanized area with a population of one hundred thousand or more persons of this state. If the department contracts with a third party, the third party shall agree in the contract to:

1. Furnish, install, maintain and replace signs for the benefit of business advertisers that provide gas, food, lodging, twenty-four hour pharmacy service, attraction and camping facilities for the general public.

2. Lease advertising space on the signs to operators of the facilities prescribed in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

C. The department shall adopt rules to implement and operate the logo sign programs. Costs incurred under the programs established by this section shall be paid under agreements negotiated between the department or third party and the business advertisers.

D. The department may enter into a revenue sharing agreement with the third party. The department shall deposit, pursuant to sections 35-146 and 35-147, revenues generated, less program operating costs, in the state highway fund established by section 28-6991.

E. For the purposes of this section:

1. " Population" means the population determined in the most recent United States decennial census or in the most recent special census as provided in section 28-6532.

2. " Urbanized area" means an urbanized area as defined in the decennial census by the United States bureau of the census.