VBT votes to go out for bids on two new gateway signs

Van Buren Township may have some new gateway signs by this summer.
At the Jan. 21 meeting of the township board, the board approved the designs presented by Elizabeth Renaud, executive assistant of public services, and Lisa Lothringer, assistant executive director of the VBT Downtown Development Authority.
The two have been working with Ideation Orange, a Michigan design group that specializes in wayfinding signage to help facilitate the design process.
The board’s approval sends the designs out to get specifications prepared for bidding. Once the bids come in the board will know how much these signs are going to cost and then they will decide how many they can afford.
“This is not in the budget,” said Supervisor Kevin McNamara. “We have a little money, but we will have to come back.”
Later in the meeting he said the township paid $12,000 to get these sign designs.
DDA assistant director Lothringer said she expects the DDA to consider paying for a large sign near Culver’s. The DDA has reached out to the Michigan Department of Transportation on the plan. She said the sign has yet to come before the DDA board.
“We want the signs to be talked about, envied,” said Supervisor McNamara.
Renaud said they developed larger signs and small signs for secondary entrances to the township. She said the large sign is 15′ tall and 10′ across, with red brick and lighted at night.
McNamara said the primary sign will be on Belleville Road entering from Canton Township.
While some trustees questioned the letters in a verticle design, McNamara said, “I love them both. We need to find out how much these cost.”
John Delaney speculated the sign costs would be from $18,000 to $30,000 each. He said he has been a sign contractor and he suggested ways the signs could be improved. He said they have to be read by a motorist going 45 miles per hour.