Improving and promoting tourism, along with helping residents around town, was the claim Kyle city leaders used when approving the purchase of $210,000 in gateway and directional signage earlier this month.
By a 6-0 vote, the Kyle City Council approved the execution of a purchase order to FSG Signs of Austin for five gateway signs. Those signs are to be placed at major entryways through the city.
Kim Hilsenbeck, Kyle communications specialist, said fabrication of those signs takes roughly three months. She said installation of the signs is expected to begin around the end of January 2018.
The cost for the signs comes to $210,996.00, which includes $172,236.00 for gateway signs and $38,760.00 for way-finding directional signs.
A total of $250,000.00 was appropriated for the Gateway and Wayfinding Directional Signs project in the approved Fiscal Year 2017-2018 budget.
Kyle Mayor Todd Webster said some of the money comes from the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) funds, while the rest comes from the general fund.
Webster said HOT funds are to be spent on specific uses such as promoting tourism in the city.
The new signage would help add character to the city while also improving the quality of life for residents, Webster said.
Installation of the signage is the most recent steps city leaders and staff have made as an apparent effort to improve the quality of life for its residents. Installing the signs was included in the city’s beautification plan.
“Gateway signs help give an area a sense of place, wayfinding signs help people find their way to city resources, facilities, and events or draw attention to public assets the general public may have not realized was there,” said Hilsenbeck.
Hilsenbeck also said the current design was the favored choice from informal feedback from staff.
