At the Trinity Road overpass, the sign asked morning commuters on Interstate 40 a question, "Who Would Jesus Bomb?" Two miles up the interstate, a second sign, "Drop Bush, Not Bombs."
DOT workers quickly removed the signs, but they said they removed them not over politics, but for safety. Officials say one of the signs was the size of a car, and duct-tape covered water balloons were taped to the bottom of both signs to hold them in place.
"If that big sheet were to tear loose up there and fall down in the middle of traffic, it'd wrap somebody's car up, and you can imagine what's going to happen after that," DOT engineer Jerry Linder said.
Under state law, it is a misdemeanor to hang a sign over an interstate overpass, but most local zoning departments across the Triangle will issue sign permits if they meet size and text requirements.
The I-40 protest signs drew mixed opinions from motorists.
"I agree with the anti-war protests and anybody anti-war," driver Omar Bailey said.
"They're putting our troops on the line for this country for the sanctity of this country, so we should back the president irregardless," driver David Ayscue said.
DOT officials said including Friday's signs, they have removed five signs in the last two weeks from highway overpasses.
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