Why Are Minnesota Street Signs Are Designed To Break?

They rule our lives, at least when we are driving a vehicle. Street signs. They tell us to stop, merge, how fast we can go, and give us directions. We take it for granted that those street signs will always be there to help us safely navigate our route.

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But what happens when a street sign is damaged or needs to be replaced? The Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT, has a crew dedicated whose only job is to replace and update street signs. Certain signs that directly affect driver safety are prioritized and replaced immediately such as stop signs or wrong-way signs.

Crews drive specific trucks that allow workers can cut steel to length on site for signposts. Speaking of signposts, in certain situations, MnDOT uses breakaway bases that are designed to cause less damage when hit by a vehicle. They are also set at a certain height so the signpost won't go through a windshield.

There is a ton of maintenance work and a little science behind all those street signs.