Dayton street signs in for makeover to standardize design

photo MainStreet Dayton's design committee plans to update the inconsistent lettering on downtown street signs along Market Street in Dayton.

DAYTON, Tenn. - The 65 downtown street signs here will have height and aesthetic consistency later this month, a MainStreet Dayton representative said.

"Signs are in," Kerry Nabors, chairman of the group's design committee, said at MainStreet Dayton's monthly meeting last week. Nabors said installation will start once the fluted support poles arrive this week.

Nabors suggested in April the board consider renovating the signs for consistent design. City officials in Dayton already were planning upgrades to the traffic signs in the courthouse revitalization zone in line with state-mandated requirements over two to five years.

Last month, Nabors said the poles and signs would cost approximately $32,000. The updated signs would include the group's Rhea County Courthouse logo and larger letters, he said, and would be attached to black, fluted poles that resembled the MainStreet Dayton and event flags downtown.

No updates on the final costs were available at press time.

In other business, the board discussed a questionnaire distributed downtown by the group's economic restructuring committee. Members said the initial distribution didn't receive an overwhelming response, but they expect additional responses as they continue to had out the questionnaire in additional locations.

Executive Director Anna Tromanhauser said the survey was distributed to merchants, employees and residents in the area of Alabama Street up to Highway 30, near Coulter-Garrison Funeral Home. Even if they didn't respond, she said, just distributing the survey helps gain exposure for MainStreet Dayton and its programs.

Among the responses that did come in, many people indicated they would like to see more musical events, Tromanhauser said.

Chairman Randy Wells has classified the survey as "a critical issue" and said that additional exposure in the media and on the MainStreet website would provide a broader avenue for feedback.

Tromanhauser said Dayton Utilities gave MainStreet a $2,500 grant to help with costs of the annual Pumpkinfest. She said 30 vendors have signed up and booth applications still are available.

Pumpkinfest 2013 is scheduled for Oct. 25-26. For more information, visit mainstreetdayton.org.

Kimberly McMillian is based in Rhea County. Contact her at kdj424@bellsouth.net.

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