A pair of Adopt-A-Road signs showing support for Palestinians have been removed less than a week after being installed following concerns from West Bloomfield community members and Oakland County officials.
The sign includes the group name “Voices for Palestinians” which were recently put up on Orchard Lake Road, between Maple and Walnut Lake roads in West Bloomfield, only a few miles from Temple Israel, site of what the FBI said was an act of terrorism back in March.
The sign was requested by West Bloomfield resident Shahaboddin Owlia, Road Commission spokesman Craig Bryson told The Detroit News.
On March 12 a man drove a Ford F-150 loaded with commercial-grade fireworks and roughly 35 gallons of gasoline 200 feet into a hallway and within minutes burst into flames. The man died after a confrontation with security guards.
The signs were approved by the Oakland County Road Commission in November 2025.
According to Road Commission spokesman Craig Bryson, the signs had not even been up for a week when the commission and the County Executive’s office began receiving complaints over the weekend.
“The first that we heard about it was through the County Executive’s office on Sunday,” said Bryson. “People had also logged complaints with us online over the weekend, but we did not check those until Monday morning.”
Bryson said the road commission is reviewing concerns voiced about the signs and may address the issue at their next regular meeting on June 25. The signs will remain off the roadside until a final decision has been made.
Bryson told the News that road commission is reviewing its Adopt-A-Road program with its legal counsel, including whether the First Amendment plays a role in the process.
“In the 50-year history of this program, we’ve never had an issue like this before. So, we’re in uncharted territory here,” said Bryson. “(Road commission) staff is currently gathering information and putting information together for the board. The board will receive that information and have an initial discussion, possibly at their next meeting.”
In a social media post, West Bloomfield Township said this is a “highly sensitive location,” and that placement of the sign has generated “significant concern and emotional reactions” in the community.
“West Bloomfield is home to one of Michigan’s largest and most vibrant Jewish communities,” the message said in part. “These concerns are understandably heightened given the ongoing anxiety many residents continue to feel. Our nation and community are built upon fundamental constitutional protections, including freedom of speech and expression, but also common sense.”
In a statement released on Sunday, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter addressed the controversy.
“The placement of a ‘Voices for Palestinians’ Adopt-A-Road placard in the heart of Oakland County’s Jewish community, near the site of a recent synagogue attack, is deeply troubling and understandably painful for many of our Jewish neighbors,” Coulter said. “At a time when members of the Jewish community are already experiencing heightened fear and concern, placing such a message in that location appears to disregard the impact it would have and risks being perceived as an act of provocation.”
The Adopt-A-Road program asks volunteers to pick up litter along a stretch of roadway during two of three scheduled cleanup periods each year. In return, the commission places road signs at both ends of a designated section to recognize volunteer groups.