Business
A Sign Of Things To Come?
June 25, 2012 
The day job took the GUARDIAN to the resort town of Traverse City, Michigan last week where we enjoyed an easy visit thanks to directional signs posted at nearly every intersection.
The locals call them “way signs,” but regardless of what they are called, they are just what we have been calling for in Boise for the past five years or more.
A little research revealed the signs and maps were originally funded by the local urban renewal agency–their version of the CCDC. The signs were a collaborative effort of the urban renewal folks and the downtown business association. The association maintains the signs as part of the deal.
They are attractive, highlight attractions and make it easy for visitors to get around. Despite GPS, iPads and all the other electronic gizmos, it is a neat way for strangers to navigate a new location. We need this in Boise BEFORE any construction of a convention center is considered.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jun 25, 2012, 12:54 pm
Boise actually has a bunch of those already. Where do you think we need new ones, and to what?
EDITOR NOTE–Not aware of any uniform signs like those illustrated. There are some random Bogus Basin, Hyde Park signs, but nothing for BSU, Taco Bell Arena, Qwest Arena, Fairgrounds, Old Pen, Historic Spanish Mission Depot, Table Rock, Whitewater Park, Barber Park Tubing Point, Bronco Stadium, Public Parking Visitor Center, Morrison Center, Greenbelt Access, etc. etc.
Jun 25, 2012, 3:53 pm
Aw, c’mon, Guardian! It would be silly to have a sign pointing the way to the New Convention Center, before it’s built!
(-;
(I always thought it would be likewise cool to have route signs for a “Boise Driving Tour,” like the ones in San Francisco. Although I’ve never been able to make the entire SF circuit without straying off-course, when depending just on the signs… they need more of ’em.)
Jun 25, 2012, 10:16 pm
Steve(bikeboy) I would expect more of you, like biking through SF.
Jun 26, 2012, 1:18 pm
Ironic though that the Guardian is against Urban Agencies in general, yet it was an UR that put up the signs.
Otherwise, which agency should do these sign BG? Within the city limits, Boise, okay. What about those sites just out of city limits? Why should Boise put up more fancy signs for Bogus Basin in another county? And you want them coordinated between Boise, Garden City, Ada, Meridian, and others?
And there really are quite a few direction signs already. How about a collection of photos of them? that’s the crazy part. Some are small, some are big, some here, some there, — no consistency. And why does that church get one and this church doesn’t?
EDITOR NOTE–Our long standing position has been the lack of direction regardless of the destination. A visitor in downtown should be able to get a general direction for the fairgrounds which is not part of Boise. The visitor should also be able to get an arrow for Lucky Peak. It is about helping people, not generating business or punishing folks who don’t have a GPS.
Jun 26, 2012, 2:11 pm
Perhaps Boise City would be worried about some journalistic watchdog hounding it for spending money on directional signs to sites outside city limits. 🙂
EDITOR NOTE–Why start now, they have never been concerned in the past.
Jul 7, 2012, 10:35 am
as if we need another distraction for idaho drivers, keep the signs on the greenbelt, off the streets. signs that say a “certain denominational church >> this way” are useless and dumb imo.