This morning, a speaker named Valentina Collins said enough is enough when it comes to billboards.

"These billboards do the opposite of revitalization. Nobody wants to see them except the people who benefit from them," Collins said.

Dr. John Lee of the University of Wisconsin said that billboards can be a cause of motorist distraction outside of vehicles. Dr. Lee also said that while the issue of digital billboard distraction is an active topic of FHWA research, prior studies on the issue have found that they can be a source of distraction.

Standing amid the assortment of new and old buildings in downtown Toronto, Rami Tabello clearly relishes his role as crusader: "Take a look at my handiwork," he boasts, pointing to a rectangle of discolored brick several stories high on the side of a building.

Call them signs of the times: “Rent Me” messages have popped up on many of the billboards around the state, advertising tough times in yet another old-line industry.

Seen from the Long Island Expressway, the Manhattan skyline glows on the evening horizon. The Empire State and Chrysler Buildings rise above the rest, their art deco spires lit up like lighthouses marking the way.

Then the highway dips, and the view changes.