I really enjoy seeing stuff like this. You’re on an old railroad bed, and you didn’t expect to see anything, and then you see a knee-high concrete post sitting off by itself with a purpose. It’s fascinating to come across what might have been an old road marker.
This is why a state road department (State Road Department) right-of-way marker is so cool. It appears to be nothing special, yet it gives you a tremendous amount of information.
What It Is
A State Road Department (SRD) right-of-way marker indicates the official boundary of a road corridor. “R/W” is short for right of way. Therefore, this is a property line marker for the road.
You might think this sounds dull, but it changes everything. The next time you view a simple concrete post, you will know it’s more than that. You are viewing evidence of the fact that the road adjacent to it was surveyed, developed and maintained as an official road.
Why It Matters
Roads have a tendency to quickly go away. Roads become obsolete due to traffic being rerouted to a new location, maintenance ceases and trees and brush grow back to cover the road. After some time the road turns into a faint trail in the woods.
But the marker often remains.
Therefore, a State Road Department (SRD) right-of-way marker has significance. It can endure longer than the pavement, signs, and even the collective memory of local residents. Even when the road has been completely forgotten, the SRD right-of-way marker will continue to indicate its former presence.
