BY

22 is no M-22

M-22 sign changeChanging the name of a popular brand is rarely a good idea. So the Michigan Department of Transportation’s recent decision to remove the “M” from M-22 road signs has me scratching my head.

I get it: They’re trying to deter the theft of signs designating one of the nation’s most scenic roadways. But isn’t there a better way?

After all, theft of signage for certain roads – think Route 66 and Highway 1 – is a problem in other places. Among the most commonly stolen street signs: mile marker 66.6 in New Jersey, Stoner Avenue in Bemidji, Minn. and Butt Hole Road in Conisbrough, South Yorkshire, England. You get the picture.

Ann Arbor has even had its share of street sign theft. What University of Michigan undergrad could pass on the allure of owning a High, Morehead or Hiscock street sign? Too few, apparently. So Ann Arbor officials came up with a novel approach that still maintained the brands: They replaced stolen signs with ones 30 feet off the ground, so they’d be harder to nab.

Then there’s Horneytown Road in North Carolina. Davidson County officials have tried everything from concrete in the post holes to welding the bolts to the signs to prevent theft, but the signs still disappear. Desperate, they’ve recently added a second sign below the street name warning would-be thieves that the signs are tracked by GPS.

The state of Michigan has already sued M22 LLC, the company using the M22 road sign image on T-shirts and other items, alleging it violated the law by trademarking the symbol. The case has been litigated for almost three years, but a trial is expected next year.

Meanwhile, it will cost Michigan about $325 to replace each M-22 sign. The price is steep – in more ways than one.

Worldwide Appeal

M-22’s beauty attracts people from all over the world, and the M-22 sign is proudly displayed on bumper stickers, T-shirts and hoodies. All of this for a road sign. The marketing benefit to Michigan is immeasurable. Without any push from the state, businesses are marketing the M-22 road sign like a favorite college football team.

There must be a better way to address the theft of M-22 signs than changing one of Michigan’s most iconic images. We shouldn’t let the thieves steal the brand, too.