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Highway Sign Has Every Word Misspelled But "Exit"

UPDATED Saturday, July 25, 2009 --- 5:30 p.m.
Posted Friday, July 24, 2009 --- 5:00 p.m.

From NBC15's sister station WSAW-TV:

You may do a double-take the next time you drive south past the Business 51 exit in Rothschild. A road sign that was put up within the last week has every word misspelled, except the word 'exit'.

Misspelled words include, ‘Buisness’, ‘Rothschield’, and ‘Schofeild’.

David Vieth, Director of the Bureau of Highway Operations for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, says Decker Supply Company out of Madison was contracted to make the sign. He says Decker will pay to have the sign fixed in the next few days.

“We may have one or two spelling mistakes in a year”, Vieth said. “Three would be pretty unusual”. He says the DOT’s file that includes the spelling for the sign was correct, so the mistake was likely made by Decker.

“We all make mistakes”, Vieth said. “But for most of us, they’re not put up for all the public to see.”

And the public is speaking out about the sign. In fact, many in the Rothschild and Schofield communities can not believe how many mistakes the company made on the sign.

"It's funny because the Department of Transportation actually administers a program for these preliminary breath tests we use for alcohol and maybe they could give one to the company and have them check out some of their employees when they come in in the morning,” Everest Metro Police Chief Wally Sparks joked.

Although Decker Supply Company made the sign, Vieth says Arbor Green, Inc. out of Portage, Wisconsin put up the sign.


Comments (101)

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  • by Lee Location: Delavan on Jul 27, 2011 at 06:07 PM
    I'm not sure, but I'm guessing Rothschield and Schofeild must be close to "stoughon"
  • by scooter Location: madison on Aug 13, 2010 at 12:11 PM
    Get back to work!
  • by Eric on Aug 12, 2010 at 12:48 PM
    Some of you need to READ the WHOLE STORY before opening your mouth and looking like a fool. Directly from the story: "...Decker Supply Company out of Madison was contracted to make the sign...Decker will pay to have the sign fixed in the next few days...the DOT’s file that includes the spelling for the sign was correct" So, in summary: 1)WisDOT drew up the plans CORRECTLY with the right spelling 2)Jobs stayed within the State of Wisconsin 3)Tax dollars will NOT be used to fix it, Decker will pay
  • by Carol Location: Yuma, AZ on Aug 12, 2010 at 10:03 AM
    Most of the signs are sent away and done. Someone either wrote it up wrong or could not understand their writing and guessed. Which they should have look up first, and made the sign. And when the sign came into the WDOT or whoever puts it up should have done their job and made sure it was correct before installing it. And of course we are just going to blame the guys that installed it, because it was their fault to begin with. Well originally being from Minnesota! This is PRICELESS for Wisconsin! Good Job!
  • by Joe Location: Minnesota on Aug 12, 2010 at 12:02 AM
    Haha only in Wisconsin...
  • by crazy bob Location: mclean county, illinois on Aug 11, 2010 at 07:38 PM
    no matter where you live, if you can't spell then you should not be making signs. these guys at decker are idiots!! then there are the idiots that put up the sign. you can't tell me they didn't look at it at least once before or while putting it up.
  • by BV on Aug 11, 2010 at 07:28 PM
    Hahahahahahaha our tacks dollars at work...Hahahahaha
  • by AK Location: MO. on Aug 11, 2010 at 07:04 PM
    Doesn't make you wonder just how literate our DOT officials are? As well as the quality of people they hire? The sign maker should replace it at his cost, the idiot who composed it should be FIRED; No questions asked.
  • by Rebecca Location: Kentucky & FL on Aug 11, 2010 at 06:25 PM
    I'm a WI native and to think I've been ripping on the Southern education...uhhh 'system'?? this whole time (been down here 7 years). Check out NC news..a school zone road painting spelled shcool...derrr. It can happen anywhere!
  • by CW on Aug 11, 2010 at 05:40 AM
    Be fair though, at least they managed to install it the right way up.

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