Leesburg reviews updated wayfinding design; council told $550,000 estimate covers trailblazer signs, kiosks not included

Sandy Hanger of Frasier Associates presented an update on Leesburg’s proposed wayfinding redesign to the Town Council at the July 21 work session, outlining design choices, destination criteria and next steps for bidding and installation.

Frasier recommended retaining the town’s primary gateway signs (installed in 2003) but removing and replacing the older vehicular directional signs. The firm presented modular, MUTCD‑compliant trailblazer and parking directional designs intended to reduce clutter and improve pedestrian accessibility; the design separates a fixed painted panel from reflective message panels to simplify maintenance and updates.

Why it matters: the project governs how visitors find downtown destinations, affects downtown pedestrian circulation and requires council direction on funding. Staff described the proposed sign programming as intended to support visitors, encourage longer stays and reduce confusion at gateways.

Hanger outlined criteria for inclusion on vehicular signs: destinations should provide significant cultural, recreational or historical experiences; be open a minimum of roughly 40 hours per week and at least eight months a year; draw visitors from outside the immediate area; be non‑retail (by policy); have adequate access and parking; and have site identification signage. Destinations would be signed as “primary” (signed from all gateways) or “proximity” (signed only within close distance to reduce sign clutter). The existing system was installed in 2003 and required replacement work because of age and condition.

Council members asked about historic‑district placement, nighttime readability, kiosk costs and business‑community engagement. Hanger said the $550,000 figure presented covered the vehicular trailblazer sign package and installation but did not include digital kiosks; she offered to provide kiosk‑specific cost estimates after obtaining fabricator pricing. Staff noted potential funding options for kiosks including advertising, solar power to reduce electrical needs, and pursueable grants.

The presentation said sign installation requires fabricator shop drawings signed by a licensed Virginia structural engineer, town review, land‑use permitting and field staking to avoid underground utilities. Hanger said exact sign locations would be determined after a contractor is selected and the signs are staked in the field, particularly in the historic district where placement needs coordination to avoid visual clutter.

Several council members expressed interest in continuing the conversation and exploring inclusion of the project in an upcoming budget. Staff said council action would be required to program funds; council signaled interest in further work sessions and asked staff to return with more precise kiosk cost estimates and a funding plan.

The presentation included engagement with local stakeholders: Frasier reported interviews with a task group, Main Street, Visit Loudoun and town staff as part of the programming and destination vetting process.

The council did not take an immediate funding vote; staff recommended next steps, including returning with refined costs and a budget recommendation for a future meeting.