The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) administers a Business Logo Signing Program along various Interstate highways and other freeways. This program involves mounting gas, food, lodging, camping business, and 24-hour pharmacy signs, referred to as logos, on large blue-background panels in advance of interchange exits and along exit ramps to alert motorists of available motorist services.

The program includes all sections of Interstate highways and other freeways except those passing through densely populated urbanized areas where logo signing would overload motorists with information that is not essential to their safe travel. It does not apply to highways under the jurisdiction of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

How the Program Works

Where sufficient room is available between interchanges, a maximum of four freeway panels will be erected within the right-of-way of a freeway after approval by IDOT of an application for a type of service.

Freeway panels will not be installed at any interchange where motorists cannot easily reenter the freeway and continue in the same direction of travel. Where sufficient room is not available in advance of an interchange to install four panels, only the number of panels that can be properly spaced will be installed.

A freeway panel may have a maximum of six logos for gas, food, lodging, camping or 24-hour pharmacy. Where there are more than six eligible businesses desiring signing for a given type of service, those closest to the nearest exit ramp will be considered first.

The logos must be designed, fabricated, and furnished by the business, at their expense, to IDOT.

There is a $100 application fee in addition to the annual fees for displaying a business logo. The principal fees are $200 for each freeway panel, and $130 for each ramp panel. The total fee for an individual business depends upon how many and what type of logo signs are displayed.

What Businesses are Eligible

Businesses offering gas, food, lodging, and 24-hour pharmacy must be within 1 mile of the interchange in urban areas and 3 miles in rural areas. Campgrounds must be within 5 miles in urban areas and 20 miles in rural areas.

All business must be open 7 days a week year round. There are two exceptions. Restaurants may be open 6 days a week and campgrounds may close seasonally.

For Further Illinois LOGO Information

If additional information is needed or if you wish to submit an application, contact the IDOT district LOGO coordinator for your county. Please do not send an application fee without the official application form.