Martinsville chamber leads discussion on interstate signage program
MARTINSVILLE — With an interstate now making its way through the city of Martinsville, motorists along I-69 will need to know how to get to different businesses near the different interchanges.
One way that businesses can let motorists know they are located near an interchange, and how to get to their location, are using blue logo signs which dot interstate highways throughout not only Indiana, but the country.
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The signs are part of the Specific Service Sign Program and different businesses that could be important to those traveling along the interstate.
On Friday, the Greater Martinsville Chamber of Commerce offered a presentation to allow its members to learn about the program.
Cory Furman and Becky Meier with the Indiana Logo Sign Group briefly went over the presentation during Friday's virtual meeting.
"(The Indiana Logo Sign Group is) a private entity that executes this project on behalf of the state of Indiana," Furman said.
Furman noted the types of businesses that can participate in the program include gas stations, restaurants, lodging, camping and attractions.
"Attractions is kind of a gray area of what that is," Furman said. "Basically, it is anything with a tourism based audience."
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These attractions can include museums and golf courses.
According to Furman, the proximity the an interchange, operational hours of a business and the types of provided services are factors in whether or not a location can participate in the program.
Gas stations can be up to two miles away from an interchange while restaurants can be up to three miles from an interchange.
Hotels can be up to four miles from an interchange while campgrounds and attractions can be up to 15 miles away.
There are also limits on the number of turns a motorist needs to make to arrive at a business.
For example, food and gas stations can be one turn from an interchange while hotels can be two turns from an interchange.
Campgrounds and attractions can have an unlimited number of turns from an interchange.
There are three types of signs in the program including a mainline sign, ramp sign and trailblazer sign.
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In order for a business to participate, they have to be part of a mainline sign.
A mainline sign appear on an interstate and tells motorists of the businesses at an upcoming exit.
A ramp sign is a smaller blue sign that lets motorists know where to turn to find a business.
"They are needed for a business if the motorists cannot readily see a business from the ramp itself," Furman said.
Trailblazer signs helps direct motorists if a driver must make any additional turns once they travel away from an interchange.
Participating in the program does come at a cost for the business being advertised.
There is a monthly lease rate for the business and a one-time cost to fabricate and install a business logo.
For gas, food, lodging and camping businesses, the monthly cost for a mainline sign is $146 per month and $24 per month for ramp and trailblazer signs.
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Attractions pay half the rates of the other businesses on the monthly fees.
Friday's presentation can be viewed online at https://tinyurl.com/tuc5rx4s.
In other business
The chamber announced that an in-person State of the City Dinner is planned to take place on Tuesday, March 15, however this may be changed to a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next chamber meeting is scheduled to take place on Friday, Feb. 18.
Contact Reporter-Times editor Lance Gideon at lgideon@reporter-times.com or 765-342-1543. Follow him on Twitter: @LanceOGideon.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: I-69 in Martinsville: Chamber leads talk on signage program
