Design on the Gateway and Wayfinding Signage project was approved this week by the City Council after several months of review by City staff and the citizen volunteer-driven Parks Board.
The project, recommended in the 2013 Community Strategic Plan and approved by voters in the 2018 General Obligation Bond Election, involves the construction of gateway signage into the city at major entryways and wayfinding signage for parks and recreational facilities as well as the downtown redevelopment district and downtown entryways.
The project got underway in February when the council awarded a contract for the project to ACSM Inc. for the design, fabrication and installation of the signage. Since that time, the Park Board and City staff have worked with ACSM
President Glen Nocik and his staff to develop a signage design concept for the project, said Community Development Director Lisa Beeman.
“We have a contractor who has been a real pleasure to work with,” Beeman told the council Monday. “ACSM has brought a really great blend of technical ability and creativity to the project, giving us something that is unique to Bartlesville.”
Beeman said the final design concept was reviewed and unanimously recommended for approval by the Park Board at a special meeting on May 5.
She said that for park signage, a “clean, modern look with powerful colors mixed with traditional textures” was selected, with hints of Frank Lloyd
Wright flair, native inspired patterns and geometry found within the history of oil derricks “to merge into a cohesive system of signs that stand out without overwhelming their environment.”
“For the wayfinding and gateway signs, we took a modern approach, but combined with a distinctly architectural flair,” she said. “Careful attention was focused on incorporating the use of layers and dimensions to highlight the depth found within Bartlesville. A quick glance will provide the important wayfinding information you need, but upon closer inspection, you will recognize the details inspired by Bartlesville’s beautiful sunsets or the downtown skyline.”
The design will now be used to finalize the master plan for a comprehensive and cohesive signage system for the community, Beeman said.
“This master plan will include the identification of the number, location and type of all signs, including final cost estimates for each sign type, which are necessary to create a more navigable city whether driving, biking or walking for both residents and visitors alike.”
Beeman said the project will move forward with drawings, plans and specifications and ultimately the installation of the signs to complete Phase 1 of the project. Future phases could include additional wayfinding signs for multiple routes and trail blazer signs along Pathfinder Parkway, as well as additional park entryway signs for other parks, she said.
Installation of the signage could begin as soon as late summer, Beeman said.