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Grosse Ile BPAC debates township-wide wayfinding RFP, asks staff to refine scope
Summary
The Grosse Ile Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission reviewed a draft request for proposals to design a township-wide wayfinding system that would combine physical signs and digital tools. Commissioners discussed scope, regional branding, water-trail treatment and cost, and asked staff to collect additional input before issuing the RFP.
The Grosse Ile Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission on Thursday reviewed a draft request for proposals (RFP) for a township-wide wayfinding system that would integrate signage, digital directories and other navigation aids across shared-use paths and natural areas.
Commissioners said the RFP should balance physical signage with digital tools and avoid “sign farms” that overload users at intersections. They discussed integrating the township’s paths and natural areas with regional initiatives such as the Downriver Link Greenways, the Iron Bell Trail and the Great Lakes Way, and flagged the need to coordinate appearance and branding so Grosse Ile signage complements existing regional markers.
Commission members asked staff to expand the RFP scope discussion to include: 1) options for combining core wayfinding for the shared-use path network with add-on services (for example, water-trail mapping or additional DDA/business-area wayfinding); 2) digital integrations (QR codes and an online natural-area directory) that link physical signs to up-to-date information; and 3) a maintenance plan and cost estimate so the township can assess long‑term obligations. Commissioners also raised accessibility and safety as goals for the system.
Staff said Ross prepared the draft RFP and will collect the commission’s comments; commissioners asked Ross to check the draft for leftover language (references to a DDA) and to confirm which agencies and organizations will be named partners in the solicitation. Commissioners proposed asking firms to offer modular pricing (core scope plus optional add-ons) so the township can weigh smaller initial steps against higher-cost, full implementations.
Discussion ranged over technical details: firms should address physical materials suitable for local weather, placements that avoid clutter, digital mapping compatible with trail apps, and compliance with traffic-control standards where signs affect road crossings. Commissioners suggested the RFP require firms to present prior work on multi-modal wayfinding, to describe proposed community engagement and to provide a maintenance-cost estimate.
The commission did not vote to release the RFP at the meeting. Members agreed to forward consolidated comments to staff and to return a revised draft for review before any formal vote to issue the solicitation.
