See a Charlotte street sign that needs to be replaced? Here’s who to call
The Charlotte Observer Service Journalism desk is committed to providing answers to questions that matter to you and your community. In this space, reader-submitted inquiries -- such as the one below -- will be investigated each day by our team of reporters.
A Charlotte resident recently expressed concern over “increasingly dirty” street signs in parts of the city that have become hard to read.“
“This is creating a dangerous situation in some places,” Laurie Graybeal wrote to Know Your 704. “The signs would be a whole lot cheaper to clean than to replace.”
If your neighborhood street sign is in need of repair, service requests can be submitted through the City of Charlotte’s street sign repair request form.
While the Charlotte Department of Transportation says maintaining safe streets and sidewalks is important, its street maintenance division is responsible for handling street signs within Charlotte city limits.
Among the things you can report are sidewalk repairs, pothole repairs, street light repairs, and new traffic signals.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation urges you to call 911 immediately if you encounter a missing, damaged or downed stop sign, as it could be a life-or-death emergency.
How are street signs repaired in Charlotte?
“The Charlotte Department of Transportation responds whenever we receive a maintenance request from the public for sign maintenance on city-maintained streets,” CDOT, Lawrence Corley III said in an email to The Charlotte Observer, adding that request frequency varies and may increase when a major storm passes through the area.
However, if you have questions about an “infrastructure issue or other town provided service, your town hall is the best place to start,” according to Mecklenburg County officials.
If you’re unsure where to start, Mecklenburg County says you can reach out via social media.
How often are Charlotte street signs replaced?
According to NCDOT’s 2019 Sign Replacement Strategy, Interstate signs are inspected and replaced only when needed every year. “Signs on primary and secondary roads have had a more flexible schedule,” NCDOT states.
While signs are generally replaced when they are damaged or in need of updating due to age, “they typically last ten years or longer. We receive requests to which we respond for maintenance, replacement, or cleaning,” Corley said.
“Damaged or missing regulatory signs like “STOP,” “YIELD,” “DO NOT ENTER,” “ONE WAY” and “WRONG WAY” signs should be replaced or repaired as soon as possible,” the U.S Department of Transportation said.
According to Corley, CDOT fabricates new signs to satisfy each work order. “Depending on our backlog, it can take up to 90 days from request to installation.”
How to report a street sign
If it’s a stop sign, call 311 or 704-336-7600 so that the service team immediately dispatch. CDOT says all stop signs must be reported to either of these numbers.
CharMeck 311, the customer contact center for the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For less urgent reports, you can submit a request online, or download the CLT+ app.
After submitting your request, you’ll receive a tracking number.
Be ready to share your contact information. You’ll also need to explain the damage, the kind of sign, and the intersecting street name.
While you have the option of assessing the damage as “lying on the ground,” “leaning,” or “missing,” you can also leave a comment to add any further details, the city said.
