Court: City doesn’t owe billboard company after overpass construction blocks sign

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Supreme Court says the city of Madison doesn’t owe a billboard company anything after the construction of alocal overpass blocked the company’s sign.

The city in 2013 built an overpass that blocks the view of one side of a sign belonging to Adams Outdoor Advertising. The company sued and demanded compensation, alleging that the construction of the overpass prevented it from making full use of its property and therefore amounted to a government taking.

The Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Tuesday that there is no right guaranteeing private property will remain visible from a public road. 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.

Eric McLeod, a lawyer representing Adams Outdoor Advertising, didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.