The New Bern Board of Aldermen’s recent acceptance of the bid from Signs Etc. of Charlotte for fabrication of a wayfinding sign system brings to conclusion a project originally initiated in 1993.
In the Post World War II era, with the increase of auto and truck mobility, the widening of Broad Street and removal of parking on East Front to accommodate traffic on the state roads, the proliferation of signs with no uniformity leading to and through the downtown made it confusing and difficult for visitors to navigate and reach their downtown destination.
From the beginning, the downtown effort focused on restructuring downtown’s economic base by establishing a new market of recreation and tourism. By the late 1980’s, downtown New Bern was becoming a “destination” and tourism was now the County’s fourth largest industry.
In 1993, Design Guidelines for the streetscape improvements recommended in the1990 Urban Design Plan were designed by Allison Platt & Associates. In conjunction with this project, at Swiss Bear’s request, the *Municipal Service District Advisory Committee (MSD) approved funding to hire Mortar&ink, a graphic design firm in Columbia, MD to develop a wayfinding sign system to include gateway entry monument signs, vehicular directional signs, trail blazer signs (one or two destinations with an arrow), pedestrian directional signs, identity signs for streets and places and street banners.
Funding to implement the system was key and every potential opportunity was explored including approaching NCDOT. On July 29, 1993, through the efforts of Bob Mattocks, NCDOT Division II Board of Transportation member, he, myself and Eileen Tennor of Mortar&ink, met with officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation, the Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Travel and Tourism and the Division of Parks and Recreation.
In our presentation we asked the state to consider adapting the concept of New Bern’s wayfinding sign system for state-wide application to promote the state tourism program by using New Bern as a model project. Uniform state wayfinding sign systems, picking up where highway signs end on the interstate and state roads, would guide visitors from the periphery to featured tourist attractions/destinations throughout the state and communities.
To our delight, they were interested and created a task force with representatives from each department to explore the state’s participation and/or development of this concept. In the end the project was deemed unfeasible, requiring changes to existing regulations that was cost prohibitive.
However, when the streetscape improvements were completed on Middle Street in mid-1990, the design for street banners (as part of the sign system) was embraced and the MSD Advisory Committee approved funding for production costs. The red and gold banners and pendants and bear logo, hanging from the banner arms on the new street lights have added festivity and color to the downtown streetscape for many years.
The completion of the new Neuse River Bridge in 1997 and removal of the old John Lawson Bridge in 2000 dramatically altered the dynamics of circulation and arrival downtown creating new gateways and traffic patterns. In addition, the new New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, construction of the new NC History Center and an increase in tourist and convention trade, were creating issues for visitors and citizens alike.
In 2007, thanks to, then, State Rep. Alice Underhill, the City’s 300 Celebration Committee was awarded a $50,000 grant from N.C. Department of Cultural Resources to be used for anniversary celebration projects. Since a major goal in preparation for the 300th Celebration was developing projects that would have lasting outcomes, the Committee used the grant to engage Allison Platt & Associates to prepare a master plan for the completion of the Riverwalk and hire Mortar&ink to develop a comprehensive visitor wayfinding sign system incorporating the bear motif on the city flag honoring New Bern’s relationship with Bern, Switzerland.
Steering Committee members, Susan Moffat-Thomas, project chair, Danny Meadows, Mike Avery, Annette Stone, Kay Williams, Tom McGraw, Linda Staunch, Sandy Chamberlain, Nelson McDaniel and Bill Naumann worked with Mortar&ink over the course of two years. The scope of the plan was immense. In addition to approving the graphic designs for the system of signs, all visitor destinations (government, parks and trails, museums and historic sites, parking, attractions and public facilities) had to be identified.
Both the selection of sites for the signs and the nomenclature used to name them required careful consideration as visitors are directed from interstate roads from specific exits into the city along designated visitor corridors. In the end, a total of 132 signs were approved and an implementation plan completed. By 2009, the comprehensive package was ready for the city to bid out for fabrication and installation; however, the economy’s downturn put funding for the project on hold. Costs for fabrication and installation were estimated at $210,000. Installation by the city would reduce the cost to approximately $140,000.
In 2012, Bob Mattocks and I met with NCDOT Division II Board member, Hugh Overholt and Division II Engineer, Neil Lassiter requesting financial assistance to help fund this City project. With DOT’s commitment of $100,000, Swiss Bear submitted a grant request to the Craven County Tourism Development Authority and received a commitment of $35,000.
In 2013, when the City initiated the Branding project, implementation of the sign system project was put on hold. With the City’s adoption of the new brand, the graphic designs (with the bear motif) were replaced with the new logo, although the implementation plan, defining locations for signage etc. remained in place.
Visitor wayfinding signage, a project envisioned 20 years ago will soon be installed. Through the signage, the Five Points area will become an adjunct to the downtown retail core. The cultural texture of the City will be enriched, visitor destinations will multiply, and expanding options will increase visitorship and pedestrian connections.
*Defined 12 block area downtown in which property owners are assessed an additional $.13 per hundred ad valorum tax to fund downtown public improvements.
Susan Moffat Thomas
Executive Director
