DETROIT, June 22 2020 – Giffels Webster, a Detroit-headquartered consulting firm specializing in infrastructure, planning and land development solutions for public, private and institutional clients, has received the 2020 Inspiring Planning Project Award from the American Planning Association’s Private Practice Division for the City of New Baltimore Wayfinding Plan project.
The APA’s Private Practice Division Awards honor the inspiring work of private practitioners in responding to the needs of communities and improving the overall quality of life.
The City of New Baltimore’s Wayfinding Sign Plan establishes a detailed plan for implementation of road signage to promote the established community character and create opportunities for more people to discover the amenities, festivals, and businesses in downtown New Baltimore. The Wayfinding Sign Plan was envisioned in the City’s Master Plan Update, which Giffels Webster helped prepare and was adopted in 2017.
The project is innovative in its approach and foundation, with dual sponsorship by the municipality and a non-profit, Art on the Bay (AOTB). This plan is an example of how municipalities facing budget challenges can partner with local groups to effect change that benefits all the stakeholders while providing additional sources of funding. The final sign design includes a logo created by local artist, Nino DiPilla. This project demonstrates how the combination of art, community planning, and the technical sign requirements of a state road agency can lead to a unique solution that reflects small-town character and implements adopted action strategies.
“When we were reviewing options to direct residents and visitors toward some of New Baltimore’s key downtown destinations, we wanted to be sure that we did so in a way that was simple, useful and visually appealing all at the same time,” said Rod Arroyo, partner at Giffels Webster. “It is rare to see the work of a local artist incorporated into official traffic signs, and we hope this project will serve as a benchmark for others.”
Giffels Webster worked with the Wayfinding Plan Committee to identify locations and designs that would meet the Committee’s goals and comply with Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) standards. The wayfinding sign committee consisted of city elected officials, planning commissioners, business owners, art enthusiasts, citizens and more.
In May of 2020, MDOT issued a sign permit, allowing the approved 2020 Wayfinding Sign Plan to be the guiding document for installation of signs along M-29 (Green Street in downtown New Baltimore). Additional signs are also planned along roads under the jurisdiction of the Macomb County Department of Roads.
“I am very pleased with our efforts so far. The plan represents a high-quality product with a clear path to implementation and could easily be transferrable to other communities,” said John Dupray, Mayor, City of New Baltimore.
About Giffels Webster
Giffels Webster is a collection of people — civil engineers, landscape architects, planners, surveyors and GIS specialists — who choose every day to make communities better. The Michigan-based firm helps public, private and institutional clients throughout the United States with their planning, land development and infrastructure needs.
Since its inception in 1952, Giffels Webster has evolved to offer a broad scope of services centered on helping clients achieve their project or programming goals, including civil engineering, municipal consulting, planning, land development consulting, landscape architecture, traffic engineering, surveying and GIS consulting. For more information, visit giffelswebster.com.
About the City of New Baltimore
New Baltimore is a historic city on Anchor Bay located in Macomb County, Michigan. For more information, visit cityofnewbaltimore.org.
About Art on the Bay
Art on the Bay is a local team of volunteers dedicated to benefiting our community on multiple levels. The Art Show in New Baltimore on Labor Day weekend brings in thousands of patrons who also shop and dine downtown. Art on the Bay also offers grants to those individuals and organizations that combine Art and Community. For more information, visit ArtontheBay.com.
About American Planning Association’s Planners in Private Practice Division
The APA’s Private Practice Division has been dedicated to meeting the needs of private planning consultants for over 25 years. For more information, visit Planning.org/divisions/privatepractice.