Less than a week after Gilroy’s first new wayfinding sign was
cemented in a city sidewalk, the word is in: Bring on the rest.
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Less than a week after Gilroy’s first new wayfinding sign was cemented in a city sidewalk, the word is in: Bring on the rest.
Satisfied with the look of the initial sign – installed on the north side of 10th Street just west of U.S. Highway 101 – the city has given the go-ahead to install up to 24 more of the signs by mid-July around Gilroy, City Transportation Engineer Don Dey said Tuesday.
Dey said the first sign was installed as a test to allow city staff and consultants to determine whether the sign’s color scheme could translate from a computer screen to the street.
“The signs look good, the color of the signs look good,” Dey said. “The designer of the signs had specific colors in mind, and we just want to make sure what gets put up in the field is what matches the design colors we’re reviewing.”
The signs – which carry a price tag of $135,000 for 25 signs – are designed by local company Articulate Solutions, which also crafted the city’s “Downtown Gilroy Historic District” sign as well as the kiosk located at Fifth Street and Monterey Road.
Kat Filice, CEO of Articulate Solutions, said the signs were the latest part of a city branding project that began about two years ago. She said the new wayfinding signs would incorporate 10 different designs, with each one dependent on the sign’s location. Signs in areas with more vehicle traffic will stand higher above the street, some affixed to light poles, Filice said. Signs in locations with a high number of pedestrians will be erected closer to eye level, she said.
The information on the signs will also be color-coded. Anything related to downtown is blue, City of Gilroy locations are green and shopping destinations are orange. Recreation options, including Gilroy’s wineries, will be brown.
“Subconsciously, you’ll learn the color. You won’t have to read the sign, just follow the color,” Filice said.
The timing of the signs’ installation – just in time for the July 29-31 Gilroy Garlic Festival – is incredibly important, Howard said.
“Obviously our goal has always been to have these signs up by the Garlic Festival. When you have 100,000-plus guests, you want them to not only find their way to the Garlic Festival but to other things we have in our city,” Howard said. “Our city hosts and welcomes so many guests, to see these new signs in place, it’s not only user friendly for visitors, but it shows the pride we have in our city. Our signs were getting pretty tattered, and not necessarily clear and accurate.”
Susan Valenta, president of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce agreed, adding, “It is very exciting to finally see them installed.”
“Overall, I think that it’s going to help people navigate our town, to get to some key areas,” she said. “And what perfect timing too to finally see them installed right before the Garlic Festival.”
The majority of the signs will be placed along Monterey Road, 10th Street and Santa Teresa Boulevard, Dey said. There are plans for additional signs on First Street and Luchessa Avenue, though the city will have to work with Caltrans to install them, he said.
Filice said the signs projected a communal attitude, not only to visitors but to Gilroyans as well.
“It’s nicely expressing the personality of the community. They’re very warm and inviting.” Filice said. “It’s a really good project. And we’re not done yet.”
