For Immediate Release
Date: February 8, 2013

City leaders on Friday unveiled the first of three planned Welcome signs at key gateways into the City.

Friday’s unveiling was at the 37th Street Ramp off of Interstate 16. The large masonry and metal signs provide a more fitting welcome than the current traffic signs.

“We are the Hostess City of the South, and one of the requirements of being a good host is a proper welcome,” said Mayor Edna Jackson.

Similar signs will be installed on Abercorn Street at the Forest River Bridge, and on Oglethorpe Avenue east of the Talmadge Bridge. It is envisioned that one day all City entrances will have similar monuments.

“This is the welcome sign that the City of Savannah deserves,” said Alderman Van Johnson, who represents the district where the sign is located.

About the City’s Wayfinding System
The new gateway signs were envisioned in the larger Visitor Mobility Plan, adopted by Savannah City Council in 2006. The Plan outlined recommendations to enhance the Savannah experience for both visitors and residents by reducing traffic and parking congestion. One component of the plan is the Wayfinding and Directional Signage Program, which establishes a coordinated, user-friendly, visible navigation system in the Historic and Convention districts, including new signage for gateways, directional signage for vehicles and pedestrian and municipal parking trailblazers.

The Wayfinding Program was finalized in 2009. Since that time, all municipal parking garages have been signed with the "P" (parking) icon. Additionally, efforts have been made to brand the four visitor centers with the "i" (information) icon. The remaining elements of the program that will be implemented include: district and parking directional trailblazers; pedestrian kiosks, maps and directional signage; River Street monument, elevator and wall mount; vehicular directional signage; and gateways.