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Communications staff outlines wayfinding and bridge gateway plans; CDOT, rail and permitting present hurdles
Summary
Englewood Communications staff updated the Cultural Arts Commission on wayfinding and placemaking projects — primary and secondary gateways, community signs and historic walking-tour signs — and discussed bridge gateway concepts that will require coordination with CDOT, RTD and railroads and may favor wraps over painted installations.
Communications Director Chris Harguth briefed the Cultural Arts Commission on the city’s wayfinding and placemaking work, including primary gateway installations, replacement of secondary gateways, community signs for parks and progress on a historic walking-tour sign program. Staff also raised bridge gateway designs for 2025 and warned that permitting with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), railroads and RTD could complicate installations.
Chris described two manufactured primary gateways already installed (Hamden and University) and a third on Broadway north of Chenango; seasonal artwork will rotate in those structures. He said 16 secondary gateways were manufactured to replace earlier signs, 14 were installed and the last two were scheduled for imminent installation. Community-directional signs for parks have been produced and will be installed at Broadway and Hampton off-ramps after permit negotiations with CDOT were secured.
On bridge gateways, Chris said the city must show finished artwork when applying for some CDOT permits; CDOT staff expressed concern that colors could be confused with traffic signals and warned that wraps could detach and fall into traffic. For that reason, staff said vinyl wraps are more practical and less costly than painting, but both approaches require careful permitting and technical review. "CDOT has already said their concern about, could a wrap potentially fall down into traffic? That's what they think about," Chris said.
Staffers and commissioners discussed nonpainted treatments as well — metal cutouts and low-contrast concrete treatments that reduce color distraction for drivers — and noted maintenance concerns for undersides and high-exposure locations. Chris recommended starting with one pilot bridge (Dartmouth was suggested) to learn permit requirements and installation complexity before proceeding to more challenging sites such as Hamden/Santa Fe.
Artists and procurement: staff described plans to solicit or directly approach artists for concept work for bridge gateways; staff proposed paying a concept fee for finalized vector concepts (staff suggested $200 as a starting figure based on initial outreach). Commissioners cautioned about procurement fairness and asked staff to check whether direct solicitations to previously vetted artists would require a public call or broader notice to avoid procedural issues. Staff will research concept-fee norms in other Colorado programs and report back.
Next steps: staff will pursue permits and technical reviews for bridge gateways, pursue a pilot installation to test wraps versus paint, and return with procurement guidance and recommended concept-fee amounts.
