Greeley DDA receives grant to install wayfinding signs

GREELEY — The Greeley Downtown Development Authority soon will install wayfinding signs throughout the district.

The DDA has received a Revitalizing Main Streets grant award of $96,830.91 from the Colorado Department of Transportation for the wayfinding project. The grant award will enable the signage to create better multimodal connections, establish a sense of place, increase safety and awareness, and increase health through facilitating more outdoor experiences. Bike signage will be installed along two routes that have been determined as the safest routes to guide cyclists into downtown and out to the Poudre Trail.

“Greeley is about to become an even more amazing place. Colorado cities like Greeley are welcoming and have a special ability to make any visitor feel at home. The inclusion of the new wayfinding signage will make downtown Greeley easier to navigate for all,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “I’m proud of the innovation shown by the Greeley Downtown Development Authority to work with us to increase accessibility.”

The Greeley DDA covers 55 blocks of downtown Greeley, from the University of Northern Colorado to the south to Fifth Street to the north. The wayfinding project will add seven directional signs helping people get in and out of the downtown Greeley area as well as 29 bike wayfinding signs directing recreationists to the Poudre Trail. The signs will be manufactured by a local sign company in Evans, Biltrite Sign Service. The goal is to install the signs before the end of the year.

“We see this project as an opportunity to encourage more walking and biking in our district — to enhance the connection and experiences of all who gather downtown,” said Greeley DDA Executive Director Bianca Fisher. “Downtown Greeley is the epicenter for local businesses, creative industries and community events. As a small organization, we are keenly aware that we cannot sustain a thriving downtown without the support of our community partners. Thank you for partnering with us to bring this project to life.”

The continuation and expansion of the state grant program was made possible through a $30 million allocation from the state legislature in March 2021 and those funds are available for local government competition. Importantly, the passage of SB-260 further extends the program beyond the current grant cycle. 

Communities can apply for small grants up to $150,000 for multimodal and economic resiliency projects available on a rolling basis.

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