Following Threat, 'I Love NY' Signs To Be Pulled From New York Highways

New York officials announced Friday that Governor Andrew Cuomo's administration will pull and replace hundreds of 'I Love NY' signs featured along the state's highways to avoid losing $14 million in federal funding.

New York has allotted more than $8 million for the state's "I Love NY" signs in the past few years, WCBS-TV reported. However, federal officials requested for Cuomo to take down the controversial signs for safety reasons because they're filled with too much information. Cuomo initially refused to do so.

State officials reportedly already intended to have new signs installed by Summer 2018 as a part of an upcoming tourist campaign, WNBC reported. The state, however, will seek advice from the federal government about its plan for the new signs.

"As the current campaign and signs are entering their fifth year, this message has run its useful course and we already plan to launch a new 'I Love NY' campaign this summer to support our tourism industry," Department of Transportation Commissioner Paul Karas and Thruway director Matthew Driscoll said in a joint statement, according to the Democrat & Chronicle. "The new campaign will be 'NY has it all!'"

Cumos critics have opposed his administration's handling over federal official's request, which has been referred to as an "incompetence on government." New York officials, however, claimed the signs aided in boosting tourism.

"This is another example of how we’re continuing to hit people over the head," Staten Island Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis told WCBS-TV. "It's an incompetence on [the] government to have put these signs up — being that it’s a violation of federal law – then there was an arrogance not taking them down."