Many reasons exist for establishing a comprehensive sign inventory system.
Highway signs and supports represent a large investment in state resources such as material, time and labor. Although not as costly as bridges or pavements, their abundance causes them to have a considerable total value. Not only are signs a substantial investment, but they have the potential to pose a significant liability if they fail. Lawsuits against the state alleging missing, damaged, faulty or incorrect signs are a constant reality. According to one source, a study of highway tort liability cases showed that in 20 percent of sampled tort liability actions, deficiencies were cited as the primary factor, second only to pavement deformations.