Sedona touts itself as a “city animated by the arts.” So it’s no surprise that the city is seeking input when it comes to some of the first artwork people see when coming into town.
The city is seeking community participation in an online survey on initial designs for three gateway signs into Sedona. The existing three gateway signs — located on State Route 179 and both State Route 89A in Oak Creek Canyon and near Sedona Red Rock High School — will be replaced as a component of one of the strategies identified in the Transportation Master Plan to enhance signage and help visitors navigate through the community. “This project ties together a larger effort we’re undertaking to streamline signage throughout Sedona,” Assistant City Manager Karen Osburn said.
“The community’s feedback will help ensure these gateway signs mirror the character and natural beauty that sets Sedona apart, tie to all the new branded signage and ultimately become the statement pieces they deserve to be.” The city is developing new branded wayfinding signage for drivers and pedestrians that will be consistent in placement, visual appearance and navigational guidance. To tie together all signage, new designs are also being developed for the three city gateways to replace the current signs.
Todd Mayfield of Axia Creative is the consultant on this project. He has designed all of the wayfinding and pedestrian signs for this project. Citizen Engagement Coordinator Lauren Browne said several initial concepts for the gateway signs have been created and the city would like the community’s input to learn: What do you like about the designs? What needs improvement? Is there a preferred design?
“We want our gateway signs to mirror the natural beauty that surrounds the area and compliment what it means to call a place like Sedona home,” Browne said. “Everyone agrees that Sedona is such a special and unique place, and our signs need to be an extension of this. “Because there is so much thought behind these initial designs, we thought it was only right to ask the community for feedback to see if there is a design that is preferred and if there were any suggestions for improvements.”
The feedback collected will be provided to the design team, and the refined designs will be presented to the city council soon after. Then, the city will work with ADOT and finally procure the actual constructing and placing of the signs. This could take up to 18 months. One design will be chosen for all three gateways into Sedona.
“There isn’t a winner per say,” Browne said. “In fact, we might find that we take one element from one of the initial designs and combine it with another one of the initial designs. The point really of getting public input was to see if there is one design people prefer, if there are materials they think we should focus on, a theme they think we should highlight, and any other ideas or concepts they think we should include.”
Anyone interested can provide input before June 30 by taking the online survey.
For more information, contact Browne at lbrowne@ sedonaaz.gov.
Ron Eland can be reached at 282-7795, ext. 122 or by email at reland@larsonnewspapers.com.
