Court: Madison doesn’t owe billboard company for Beltline bridge blocking sign

Site staff by Site Contributor

The state Supreme Court says the city of Madison doesn’t owe a billboard company anything because an overpass blocked the company’s sign.

The city built an overpass in 2013 that blocks the view of one side of an Adams Outdoor Advertising sign. The company sued demanding compensation, alleging the overpass construction prevents the company from fully using its property and therefore amounts to a government taking.

The Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Tuesday that visibility of private property from a public road isn’t a right. Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote for the majority that private property owners abutting public roads know public roads can change and are on notice that such changes might alter the view of their property.

Adams Outdoor Advertising attorney Eric McLeod didn’t immediately return a message.

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