Signage committee works to draw motorists into Carthage

This welcome sign is proposed by the Chamber sign committee.

After months of planning, the Carthage signage committee has some concrete plans, designs and estimates for signs that will inform and welcome motorists as they approach Carthage.

Four kinds of signs are planned: welcome signs on the west, north and east approaches to the city; series signs with a message about Carthage (similar to old-time “Burma Shave” signs); “Carthage - A Proud Community” signs showing service clubs and student achievements; and billboards visible to motorists on Rt. 336.

The Carthage Chamber of Commerce signage committee was an outgrowth of a stakeholders planning session about two years ago and began by studying possible welcome signs at the edge of town. They created a banner for the four-way stop to draw shoppers to the square for the holiday season of 2006. In the past year, with Rt. 336 complete, the committee has refocused its efforts on drawing motorists from the highway into Carthage. Since that time they have come up with more recommendations.

“We have come up with more specific plans. We hope the city of Carthage will be helping with some of the cost. Now we need others to step up and help with this project that is important to all of us in Carthage,” said John Huston, chairman of the committee.

Key to the project are three welcome signs at entrances to the city. The signs would be five by eight feet, but may be revised slightly to comply with a proposed zoning ordinance. The two-sided signs would be lettered in gold metallic, shadow blue and sapphire blue on a burgundy background. Each sign is estimated to cost $3,770 (plus tax) installed.

The second stage of the plan would be to refurbish chain link displays that hold service organization signs and achievements of local students: Illini West High School Chargers and the Carthage Elementary Blueboys and Bluegirls. Dave Ard has taken charge of this phase of signage including relocation, refurbishing, and funding. Carthage Sports Boosters paid for half the cost, $600, and the remainder was split by Carthage Elementary School District and the 2006 Homecoming Street Dance committee.

The committee is looking into billboard signs such as the large unit at the old Union Douglas school, later operated as Doyle's Custom Auto Parts. IDOT rules demand that a billboard can only be placed within 600 feet of a commercial business if the land is unincorporated and unzoned (such as anywhere in the county outside of towns). The sign near UD was put up while Doyle's was still in operation, and has since been grandfathered in. A possible location for the east approach to town would be near the John Deere dealership three miles east of Carthage.

Matt Dickinson reported that Evie Conrad of Key Outdoor Advertising, a Quincy billboard company, said they budget $30,000 to put in a new billboard, including siting, licensing, planning, and building costs. Instead of buying and setting up a billboard, the chamber could rent space for a 12-month contract at $350 a month, or a month-by-month contract around $400 per month.

The committee suggests three sets of series signs, with four to five signs per set. Locations would be northbound Rt. 336 coming from Quincy, and on Rt. 136 east and west of Carthage. These signs would be 18 by 72 inches and would cost $126 each including post and hardware.

It was suggested that the words “stop” and “Carthage” be in each set. Initial suggestions for slogans were made, with each line being one sign:

“Great Places to Eat

Great Places to Shop

All you have to do is

STOP

in CARTHAGE (of course)”

“Golfing, Swimming,

Fishing, too

Dining, Shopping

Here for you

STOP

in CARTHAGE (of course)”

“Homemade Pie

Things to Buy

Historical sites

To catch your eye

STOP

in CARTHAGE (of course)”

The committee will continue to meet to finalize design plans for the signs and work on funds for each project from volunteer donations, Chamber of Commerce and its members, and from the Carthage city budget over the coming years.