Police: Don't stop on the side of the freeway to take selfies in front of the D-E-T-R-O-I-T sign

Detroit — Love the D-E-T-R-O-I-T sign or hate it — just don't stop along the freeway and take selfies in front of it, police warn.

The sign that was installed April 9 on the side of eastbound I-94 between Central Street and Cecil Avenue to welcome visitors to next week's NFL Draft, has generated a buzz — and plenty of selfies — on social media.

Michigan State Police Lt. Michael Shaw said state troopers have had to "shoo away" a string of motorists after they stopped on the side of the freeway to take selfies in front of the 10-foot block letters.

"We've had to remind a lot of people that it's illegal to stop on the side of the freeway, and that includes some members of the media," Shaw said.

According to Section 257.679a of the Michigan Vehicle Code, pedestrians, bicycles and other nonmotorized traffic are not permitted on limited access highways.

Shaw said troopers have been letting people off with a warning that it's a civil infraction to stop on the side of the freeway in the absence of an emergency, with fines of up to $100.

"We'd rather not give people citations, so we've just been reminding them that it's dangerous and illegal to stop on the side of the freeway," Shaw said. He said he doesn't anticipate writing tickets during the draft — "unless people have trouble understanding that and don't comply when we ask them to move on."

The new sign, crafted by Detroit-based Fairmont Sign Company, has prompted a lot of reactions on social media, good and bad, but city officials last week said it's a testament to the city's growth over the last decade.

"No, it hasn’t been perfect but it’s been a decade of resilience, tough conversations and togetherness," said the city in a post on its Instagram page. "We are growing. This is only the beginning. We are evolving and we are reaching new peaks together as One Detroit."

A few miles west on I-94 in Allen Park, the Uniroyal Tire has prompted generations of motorists to stop and photograph themselves, including Paul McCartney and Wings during the band's 1976 world tour, and members of the Seattle Seahawks when they played in Super Bowl XL at Ford Field in 2006.

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