By Moses Leos III.
Buda’s new monument sign near the Main Street exit aims to grab attention. How it got there is a tale of it’s own.
About a year ago, the city planned to place a sign along southbound Interstate 35. City Manager Kenneth Williams said Buda City Council included the sign in their 2012-2013 budget.
City officials met with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to find a suitable spot for their new monument. Per TxDOT rules, a city must ask permission to place a permanent sign along the right of way.
The two entities came to a consensus to place the sign just north of Exit 221. But that area falls in Austin’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).
To move forward, Williams had to obtain permission from Austin city leaders.
Williams contacted Austin City Manager Mark Ott, who directed him to the city’s traffic department. After several processes, which Williams said did not take much time, Buda received permission to construct the sign. ‘
Once that was settled, the city looked to find the right design. Chance Sparks, Director of Planning, said the city brought in a design company to help with that process.
City staff also researched the cost of the sign.
Williams said staff looked at the cost of several signs around the city, including the new Electronic Reader Board near Old San Antonio Road, which was paid for by Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Placing an ERB was never considered, as TxDOT rule sprohibit it.
Buda looked at surrounding signs in other cities, finding some of them costing upward of $80,000, depending on how elaborate they were.
Staying on the “simple side” when it came to the sign was the goal for the city.
The monument sign mirrors the one near the entrance of Stagecoach Park. Mayor Todd Ruge said the city wanted to maintain continuity with their signs. It wanted something that could remain there for years to come.
“We chose a more classic look that could stand the test of time,” Ruge said.
However, due to the sign costing over $3,000, Buda enacted their purchasing policy, where the city put forth a formal request for proposal (RFP) for contractor bids.
Sparks said three quotes came in, ranging from the roughly $25,000 price tag to nearly $40,000.
The city hired a contractor on July 18, but was forced to find another, with Sparks saying, “it didn’t work out.”
The city found another contractor, settling on Williams Construction to complete the project.
The $24,671 price tag included material and construction costs.
Completion of the project is imminent, pending cleanup from the construction company.
The goal of the sign was to increase the visibility of the city. Tourism Director Lysa Gonzalez felt the overpasses surrounding Exit 221 blocks people’s view of the city.
She felt the sign could help draw people to explore the town, especially beyond the Cabela’s area.
But with a high price tag, will the city get its bang for the buck?
Williams firmly believes it will.
Research prior to the project helped forward the right information to council.
“We hardly do anything without researching first,” Williams said.
The money for the new sign comes from Buda’s Tourism Department, funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). With rules regarding HOT funds, the money went specifically toward advertising the city’s brand.
Now with one sign in place, the city aims for a second monument sign on the city’s south side, though well in the future.
Meanwhile, city officials say the current sign is a positive for the city’s visage.
“We strongly believe [the sign] is a positive,” Williams said. “We believe it gives the city maximum exposure.”
By Moses Leos III.
Buda’s new monument sign near the Main Street exit aims to grab attention. How it got there is a tale of it’s own.
About a year ago, the city planned to place a sign along southbound Interstate 35. City Manager Kenneth Williams said Buda City Council included the sign in their 2012-2013 budget.
City officials met with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to find a suitable spot for their new monument. Per TxDOT rules, a city must ask permission to place a permanent sign along the right of way.
The two entities came to a consensus to place the sign just north of Exit 221. But that area falls in Austin’s Extraterritorial Jurisdiction (ETJ).
To move forward, Williams had to obtain permission from Austin city leaders.
Williams contacted Austin City Manager Mark Ott, who directed him to the city’s traffic department. After several processes, which Williams said did not take much time, Buda received permission to construct the sign. ‘
Once that was settled, the city looked to find the right design. Chance Sparks, Director of Planning, said the city brought in a design company to help with that process.
City staff also researched the cost of the sign.
Williams said staff looked at the cost of several signs around the city, including the new Electronic Reader Board near Old San Antonio Road, which was paid for by Pedernales Electric Cooperative. Placing an ERB was never considered, as TxDOT rule sprohibit it.
Buda looked at surrounding signs in other cities, finding some of them costing upward of $80,000, depending on how elaborate they were.
Staying on the “simple side” when it came to the sign was the goal for the city.
The monument sign mirrors the one near the entrance of Stagecoach Park. Mayor Todd Ruge said the city wanted to maintain continuity with their signs. It wanted something that could remain there for years to come.
“We chose a more classic look that could stand the test of time,” Ruge said.
However, due to the sign costing over $3,000, Buda enacted their purchasing policy, where the city put forth a formal request for proposal (RFP) for contractor bids.
Sparks said three quotes came in, ranging from the roughly $25,000 price tag to nearly $40,000.
The city hired a contractor on July 18, but was forced to find another, with Sparks saying, “it didn’t work out.”
The city found another contractor, settling on Williams Construction to complete the project.
The $24,671 price tag included material and construction costs.
Completion of the project is imminent, pending cleanup from the construction company.
The goal of the sign was to increase the visibility of the city. Tourism Director Lysa Gonzalez felt the overpasses surrounding Exit 221 blocks people’s view of the city.
She felt the sign could help draw people to explore the town, especially beyond the Cabela’s area.
But with a high price tag, will the city get its bang for the buck?
Williams firmly believes it will.
Research prior to the project helped forward the right information to council.
“We hardly do anything without researching first,” Williams said.
The money for the new sign comes from Buda’s Tourism Department, funded by the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT). With rules regarding HOT funds, the money went specifically toward advertising the city’s brand.
Now with one sign in place, the city aims for a second monument sign on the city’s south side, though well in the future.
Meanwhile, city officials say the current sign is a positive for the city’s visage.
“We strongly believe [the sign] is a positive,” Williams said. “We believe it gives the city maximum exposure.”
