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white exterior metal paint. THEY SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUCTED OF OR PAINTED WITH REFLECTIVE MATERIAL. (4) The recommended width of the metal is 4 inches a minimum of 2 1\2 inches is allowed. (5) The crossbar should be 12 inches across and the upright portion of the marker should be 16 inches, however; if less than 4 inch metal is used to construct the marker, the dimensions of the marker may be reduced accordingly to a minimum of 9 inches by 12 inches. (6) The supporting upright post shall be a steel pipe, "U", or rod of sufficient length, at least 54 inches, so that the bottom of the marker shall be a least 36 inches above the surface of the road, at its lowest point. NOTE: If the marker is placed very far off the roadway, this upright support may have to be several inches longer to ensure the lowest point of the marker is at least 36 inches but not more than 54 inches above the surface of the road (or ground). The MDOT recommends using six-foot posts, as they will provide a uniform mounting height and a uniform foundation depth of 18 inches. (7) The supporting post should be placed into the ground at least 18 inches. Some Legion Posts set the upright in a large can filled with concrete before erecting them. Other Legion Posts, using a pipe upright, place a pipe coupling three inches above the ground so that it can be removed for repairs or painting. (8) The supporting upright post may be made of galvanized pipe, not to exceed 1 inch in diameter. The highway department recommends using 1.12 pound per foot steel "U" delineator post material, if it can be obtained. Some Legion Posts use metal fence posts. Rebar is not recommended. (9) The posts are to be painted with bright red exterior metal paint.
III. Installation:
(1) The face of the marker should be perpendicular to the road right-of-way. (2) The marker should be placed as close as possible to the location of the accident. This information may be obtained from the local Montana Highway Patrol. (3) The marker should be placed so that it provides the least amount of hindrance to highway maintenance crews. (4) The use of any type of decorations should be strongly discouraged, as they reduce visibility and defeat the purpose of this safety program. (5) Only one post per fatality location is allowed. If more than one fatality occurred at the location, multiple markers may be constructed on the same post. (6) White markers that are currently in place are "Grandfathered" and do not need to be removed or corrected to conform to these new guidelines. (7) Yes, you can put our white markers up on the interstate highways in Montana. The location of these white markers should be within one-foot of the interstate right-of-way fence. There should be no Legion Fatality Markers in the median or close to the interstate roadway.
IV. Maintenance:
White Markers, that are already located on the highways of Montana, are to be maintained by the respective Legion Posts. Some of them now need another coat of red and white enamel paint - others need straightening or repairs. This work should be done in the spring. Three methods of doing this have emerged; you design your own or pick one that works for you. Some posts form a work party and make "a day of it" repairing and painting all the crosses in their area of responsibility. The day usually ends with a picnic and activities, as well as good comradeship. This is usually done in the spring just before Memorial Day. Some posts assign a chairman with a few dedicated individuals. These legionnaires construct, erect, paint, and maintain the crosses in the post's area of responsibility all year long. These few dedicated individuals are usually recognized at post meetings or banquets. Other posts assign a white cross to a Legionnaire close to his/her home. It is up to him/her to take care of that white cross. This is a good way to get more members or new members involved in post activities.
With the increased visibility and publicity that our Highway Fatality Marker Safety Pro
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