Drive any direction on I-70 through Missouri, and you will become familiar with the logos on the highway signs.

It might be Waffle House, Shell, Motel 6 or Buc-ee’s, if you are in the Springfield area. Every few dozen miles or so, you might see a sign covered in logos you have never seen before.

The motorist information signs are there to do exactly that – provide motorists with information on what is around them.

So who exactly decides which businesses to feature? Are the signs considered a public service by the state, an attempt by cities to get travelers to stop in town, or advertisements paid for by the businesses themselves? Here’s what we found from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Who pays for highway signs?

No state funding goes toward the Missouri information signs on the highway, as businesses have to pay to be featured, MoDOT traffic liaison engineer Tom Honich said. The prices vary depending on the average daily traffic count for each interchange.

On an interchange that sees 29,999 vehicles or fewer pass by each day, the annual cost to get a logo on an information sign is $1,000 per direction. So if a business wanted their logo on both sides of the highway, it will cost them $2,000.

On an interchange that sees a traffic number of 30,000 or more, the annual cost is $1,500 per direction.

Businesses may be charged additional fees for fabrications and installing the logos on the sign. Businesses can apply to appear on a Missouri highway sign online.

How does MoDOT pick which businesses are included?

Missouri Logos, a private enterprise that works with MoDOT and is responsible for managing the highway signs, evaluates the eligibility of each site based on a Missouri Code of State Regulations, Honich said. The signs must comply with federal regulations that control each type of sign program.

“All the signs in our supplemental guide sign program belong to the Highways and Transportation Commission,” he said. “Missouri Logos simply manages and maintains the program and signs for MoDOT, with MoDOT maintaining the rules.”

What are the sign eligibility requirements?

For each of the five sign categories, there are eligibility requirements they must meet in Missouri to be featured on a highway sign.

Gas stations must:

• Be in continuous operation at least 12 hours per day, seven days per week.

• Provide restroom facilities.

• Provide a public telephone.

• Provide drinking water.

• Be 6 miles or less from the interchange.

• Provide fuel, oil, water and free air.

Restaurants must:

• Be in continuous operation at least ten hours per day, serving two meals per day, six days per week.

• Possess licensing by all appropriate authorities.

• Provide restroom facilities for the traveling public.

• Provide a public telephone.

• Provide seating for minimum of 20 or a minimum of 10 drive-up stations.

• Be 6 miles or less from the interchange.

Hotels and other lodging providers must:

• Continuously operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

• Provide a minimum of 10 rooms available with sleeping and bathroom accommodations.

• Possess licensing by all appropriate authorities.

• Provide adequate off-street parking.

• Provide a public telephone.

• Be 6 miles or less from the interchange.

Camping locations must:

• Continuously operate 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

• Provide a minimum of 20 camping sites.

• Offer minimum of one parking space per campsite.

• Provide modern sanitary facilities.

• Possess licensing by all appropriate authorities.

• Be within 15 miles of the interchange.

Attractions must:

• Be in continuous operation four hours per day and five days per week, one of which must be Saturday or Sunday.

• Offer a minimum of 10 parking spaces.

• Provide public restroom facilities.

• Must be categorized as a natural phenomenon, cultural site, museum, educational site, area of natural beauty, or recreational site.

• Be with 15 miles of the interchange.