Laramie Nears Completion of First Five Wayfinding Signs; 40-50 Planned

The Laramie Wayfinding Project is almost complete! In 2018, 53 locations were identified for wayfinding signs all throughout Laramie," a recent social media post declared, even as City documents describe the work as a phased effort that is only beginning.

City of Laramie planning materials state plainly that "the signs are in storage in Laramie if you need to take a look at them prior to submitting a quote." The same City posting notes that "the installation of these first 5 signs is the beginning of a phased project that will include the installation of 40-50 way-finding signs in Laramie over the next 2-5 years." The City solicited bids for the initial installation in a Request for Quote posted March 10, 2023, seeking quotes specifically for the installation of five signs.

The project traces back to a 2018 inventory that identified 53 candidate locations for signage intended to help direct people from point to point or confirm progress along a route. Planning documents outline an intent to deploy a variety of elements - directional signs, trailblazers, pedestrian maps and parking directional signs - across a multi-stage timeline that spans 0-6 months through 24-36 months and ongoing maintenance thereafter.

Technical specifications in the RFQ and the planning materials are specific. The RFQ references engineering drawings for three different sign designs and asks bidders to propose pole material options at low, medium and high cost levels. It requires poles to be the "breakaway" type as specified in the drawings and notes that "each sign has an L bracket on the back for mounting." The planning document instructs that "Wayfinding signage should be installed in locations per MUTCD regulations and pending WYDOT approval" and that "All installed signs should meet federal and state requirements for minimum height and breakaway features. Minimum height for trailblazers and parking signs is eight feet above grade." A design note adds that "Single pole-mounted directional signs may feature a 'fin' element that will include a plasma-cut crown near its top edge."

Roles and ongoing responsibilities are laid out in the master-plan excerpts. The City of Laramie is charged with adopting the wayfinding master plan, working with a private sector partner on installation, and establishing policy and maintenance programs. Laramie Main Street is identified as the entity responsible for issuing fabrication RFQs or RFPs, managing Phase 1 and Phase 2 construction and installation, hiring fabricators, securing Phase 2 funding and setting aside reserve funds for ongoing expenses.

For residents or contractors seeking more information, the City of Laramie Planning Division provided contact details and an explicit invitation: "PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY OF LARAMIE PLANNING DIVISION AT 307-721-5207 OR PLANNING@CITYOFLARAMIE.ORG WITH QUESTIONS." Mailing address is City of Laramie Planning Division, P.O. Box C, Laramie, WY 82073.

What this means for Laramie is practical as well as visual: clearer navigation for visitors and locals, a multi-year municipal program that will require funding and upkeep, and a near-term phase in which five signs move from storage to their first civic locations. The social-media claim that the project is "almost complete" sits alongside City documents that emphasize phased rollout; residents should expect more detail from the planning division about installation dates, the mapping of specific locations and how the 40-50 planned signs will align with the 53 sites identified in 2018.