The portion of Kansas highway 79 from the junction of Kansas highway 79 and Kansas highway 16 to the junction of Kansas highway 79 and county road 254 in Jackson county is hereby designated as the Barnes brothers memorial highway. The secretary of transportation shall place highway signs along the highway right-of-way at proper intervals to indicate that the highway is the Barnes brothers memorial highway, except that such signs shall not be placed until the secretary has received sufficient moneys from gifts and donations to reimburse the secretary for the cost of placing such signs and additional 50% of the initial cost to defray future maintenance or replacement costs of such signs. The secretary of transportation may accept and administer gifts and donations to aid in obtaining and installing suitable signs.