By JIM ARBER

For The Vista

Many of you may remember reading an article in the VISTA about The Pig Ugly sign problem along Peavine.  The problem has not gotten better since the “Sign” article first appeared on July 31.

In fact, it seems like there are more signs now than there were before the article was published.  Time for an update.

As you may recall, the article stated that TDOT would send owners of illegally placed signs a letter of encroachment with a deadline to have these signs removed.

The assumption was that this was going to happen soon. No, not gonna happen soon.

Since there has been no noticeable progress to date we went back to TDOT through Rep. Cameron Sexton for a status update.

It turns out that those letters will not be issued until the right of way acquisition phase is near its completion.

The acquisition phase is not close to its end.  It is not scheduled to be completed until second quarter of 2013.  My reading of this indicates that encroachment letters will not go out until sometime in early 2013.  Further, if these owners choose not to remove the signs they can do that.  The signs will remain until the paving project steam rolls them.

There are options out there but unless someone is willing to take up the task we may be waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  Anyone interested in getting involved may contact [email protected] to discuss options.

The project to reconstruct this section of SR-101 is currently scheduled to be let to contract in July 2013.

Jim Arber is a Cumberland County resident, a Freelance Writer and a Leisure Professional.