A closer look
Only in America could you legally define a pedestrian-choked tourist trap as a major automotive artery just to keep the neon lights on. Thanks to the Highway Beautification Act, massive billboards are highly restricted—unless they are located along designated state highways. By keeping Times Square officially zoned as part of the state highway system, property owners can legally blast your retinas with 10-story advertisements for M&Ms and Broadway musicals under the guise of 'highway signage.'
