PIERRE,S.D.-TheSouthDakotaDepartmentof Transportation reminds landowners hay remaining in highway ditches needs to be removed. The bales must be removed to ensure road safety in the coming months.

Any person wishing to claim ownership of illegal bales must obtain a permit from the South Dakota Department of Transportation. Those permits are issued on a first-come first-served basis and allow permit holders to take ownership of any illegal hay bale.

Permits are available at Department of Transportation area offices in the following communities: Aberdeen Region (Aberdeen, Huron, Watertown); Mitchell Region (Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Yankton); Pierre Region (Pierre, Winner, Mobridge); Rapid City Region (Belle Fourche, Custer, Rapid City).

Phonenumberscanbefoundonthewebsiteathttps://dot.sd.gov/ inside-sddot by clicking on the appropriate region. For more information, please contact the Division of Operations at 605-773-3571.