Morris County signs may get a $1M makeover; presentation on Nov. 10 in Morris Township

New destination signs may be coming to Morris County.  You can take a peek at them–and give your two cents– on Nov. 10 at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township.

Recommendations from an $80,000 “wayfinding” study will be presented at the Haggerty Education Center from 5 pm to 6:30 pm.

A Philadelphia consulting firm, MERJE, will show four design options for new signs. Possible ways to integrate smart phone apps and other web technologies to inform and guide visitors also will be discussed, said MERJE’s John Bosio.

If county and local officials can agree on a new system, the next step will be finding $1 million to install it.

Leslie Bensley, executive director of the Morris County Tourism Bureau, anticipates some tough questions but  contends a strong case can be made for such an expenditure.

“Saying the economy is not good is not a good excuse,” Leslie said. “This is part of efforts to stimulate the economy. For every $1 invested in tourism and heritage programs, you get a $25 return.”

The study was funded with a $50,000 grant from the Garden State Historic Trust Fund, and additional money from a Tourism Bureau gala. Morris County is among three sections of the state identified for a possible pilot project under the state wayfinding master plan, which was created by the nonprofit group Celebrate NJ.

Better signs should make it easier for visitors to find their way around–which may induce them to stay longer, spend more, and consider returning, according to Leslie.

There also might be environmental benefits–such as fewer idling automobiles by confused visitors and fewer lost motorists wasting gas, said Carol Barkin, program manager for the county tourism bureau.

Some 73 destinations are on the preliminary list, along with generic destinations such as “town hall,” “police station,” “fire station,” “post office,” “business district” and “high school.”  At least 27 of the destinations are in Morristown, Morris Township or Morris Plains.

Among the more ticklish issues are which destinations to include, and how to list their names.

Should a new sign for Morristown’s Macculloch Hall include its full name — the Macculloch Hall Historical Museum–so visitors know what it is?  Or will that be too hard to read from a passing car?

Private businesses will be excluded, Leslie said. But she would like town halls, municipal parking and train stations to be part of the mix.  Attractive signs can enhance a sense of civic pride, she suggested.

That’s what makes it more than a “signage project,” said John Bosio, who has conducted similar studies in Newark, Jersey City and Camden, and in the historic communities of Savannah, Ga., and Frederick, Md.

“All too often people think we’re just running around and putting up signs,” he said. “It’s about how visitors come to Morris County, and the experience they have. It’s a marketing program.”

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New study aims for better destination signs in Morristown and Morris County