New wayfinding signs and gateway monuments may soon be installed along Hwy. 290 following a 3-2 vote by the Dripping Springs City Council at a Sep. 1 meeting.
“We just want to remind everyone that it’s more than signs,” People and Communications Director Lisa Sullivan said. “It helps visitors and residents easily navigate Dripping Springs. This is especially important in Dripping Springs, as most of our main shopping area is off [Hwy.] 290.”
The overview
City Council voted to award the project to Fazzone Builders, Inc. on behalf of Southwest Monument and Sign, which submitted the lowest bid by nearly $100,000.
The $260,000 project includes the construction and installation of:
- 20 wayfinding signs
- Three gateway monuments
The signs were designed by studio 16:19. Because the signs will be installed along Hwy. 290, the proposal—including all designs and placements—must be approved by the Texas Department of Transportation.
A closer look
The wayfinding signs would point travelers to shopping and dining areas, as well as parks and historic districts. The gateway monuments are intended to help create a sense of place, clearly distinguishing the city limits from the extraterritorial jurisdiction.
How it’s funded
The signs will be funded entirely by hotel occupancy tax revenue.
Budgeted funding includes:
- $111,000 from the fiscal year 2025-26 budget
- $150,000 from the FY 2026-27 budget, once adopted by council
Quote of note
“We have more ways to communicate than ever, but information is fragmented because of it,” said Becky Atkins, a business owner speaking on behalf of the Dripping Springs Small Business Alliance. “You gotta follow the right account. You have to see the right post, open the right email or just already know what you’re looking for. A physical sign asks none of that of you; you just simply have to be here.”
Another perspective
Two council members, Geoffrey Tahuahua and Ana Grace Husted, voted against the motion. Tahuahua voiced concerns over the necessity and efficacy of the signs as presented.
“I understand what it’s doing to support our downtown businesses,” he said. “Again, when I do the math, it’s roughly $65,000 of a $260,000 price tag in terms of what would be supporting the businesses, and to me I feel like that should have been flipped.”
Looking ahead
Sullivan said she expects the project to be completed in six to seven months.
