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Kane County maintenance says new 3M printer cuts sign cost, speeds emergency response
Summary
Kane County maintenance staff described a new 3M sign printer and overlay process that cuts material costs and production time for common signs, offers a longer warranty and supplies rapid temporary signage after disasters.
Mike Way, superintendent for Kane County maintenance, told the Transportation Committee on March 10, 2025, that a recently purchased 3M printer has materially reduced the county’s sign-making costs and shortened production time for standard traffic signs.
Why it matters: signage is a recurring maintenance expense, a public-safety support function and a logistical issue after storms. Faster, cheaper production improves routine maintenance response and allows the county to produce temporary wayfinding and emergency signs quickly after large incidents.
What the county reported: - Inventory and coverage: Mike Way said the county tracks roughly 16,500 signs and that the sign crews inspect every county road weekly. Sign shop staff also run routes to pick up roadside litter and check for hazards. - Material and labor savings: For a standard 36-by-36-inch sign, the transcript lists the old material-plus-processing cost at $84.58 and the new printed method at $58.94, a per-sign material savings of $25.64. Way also said the old method took about 45 minutes of labor per sign versus about 25 minutes with the new printer; the shop prints multiple identical signs in rolls to realize further efficiencies. - Durability and theft deterrence: The new overlay provides a UV-protective and anti-graffiti coating; 3M offers a warranty the sign will maintain reflectivity for up to 15–20 years, according to the presentation. Way added that marking signs with county identifiers helps recover stolen signs at resale markets. - Emergency response capability: Way said the county can print hundreds of temporary signs rapidly ("We could print a hundred signs in less than an hour."), which staff said would aid post-disaster routing and recovery efforts, citing lessons from Joplin, Missouri.
Operational notes and next steps: The shop retains the old plotter for vehicle identification decals but plans to rely primarily on the 3M printer for traffic signs. The presentation invited committee members to tour the sign shop. Committee members asked about insurance recovery for replaced signs and were told the county typically recovers replacement costs from third-party insurance for crash-damaged signs; for large disasters FEMA funding would be pursued.
Ending: Committee members praised the modernization and asked staff to circulate the award and warranty information to constituent municipalities and to include the sign shop capabilities in emergency planning materials.
