479.03 Jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation; entry upon privately owned lands.—The territory under the jurisdiction of the department for the purpose of this chapter includes all the state. Employees, agents, or independent contractors working for the department, in the performance of their functions and duties under the provisions of this chapter, may enter into and upon any land upon which a sign is displayed, is proposed to be erected, or is being erected and make such inspections, surveys, and removals as may be relevant. Upon written notice to the landowner, operator, or person in charge of any intervening privately owned land that the removal of an illegal outdoor advertising sign is necessary and has been authorized by a final order or results from an uncontested notice to the sign owner, the department may enter upon any intervening privately owned lands for the purposes of effectuating removal of illegal signs. The department may enter intervening privately owned lands only in circumstances where it has determined that other legal or economically feasible means of entry to the sign site are not reasonably available. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, the department is responsible for the repair or replacement in a like manner for any physical damage or destruction of private property, other than the sign, incidental to the department’s entry upon such intervening privately owned lands.
