| RELEASE: CONTACT: |
IMMEDIATE Donna Purcell Mayes (804) 786-2717 Donna.Mayes@VirginiaDOT.org cell () 804-720-0580 |
CO-0560 Dec. 15, 2005 |
VIRGINIA ANNOUNCES NEW WELCOME SIGN DESIGN
Public Chooses the “Cardinal”
RICHMOND, VA – Virginia’s state welcome signs are getting a facelift. Beginning next spring, motorists will see an updated version of the traditional cardinal and dogwood state welcome sign. The new design, which received 31.5 percent of the votes cast between Nov. 22 and Dec. 4, features a large red bird perched on a flowering dogwood branch against a white background.
“The ‘cardinal’ was the leading design right out of the starting gate, and it stayed in the lead to fly across the finish line first,” said Connie S. Sorrell, chief of system operations for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The existing design, a smaller cardinal and dogwood blossom image against a blue background, came in second with 23.2 percent of the vote.
“The votes show that the public wanted an updated, fresh image of our state bird and flower and didn’t want to change those traditional symbols of our Commonwealth,” Sorrell said.
Just over 56,400 votes were cast as follows:
53,648 votes - 95 percent of the total - were cast online. This includes most of the ballots collected at the state’s 11 Welcome Centers.
2,223 votes - 4 percent - were cast through a toll-free phone number.
530 votes - 1 percent - were cast through ballots collected at the centers but not entered online (522 votes) and through calls and e-mails to a VDOT employee (eight votes).
The state’s welcome signs’ design is about 50 years old. It was modified slightly several years ago. Most of the current signs are about 14 years old and need to be replaced because they are worn and have lost their reflectivity.
A small team that included representatives from other government agencies, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Jimmy Barrett of 1140 WRVA Radio recommended several themes for designers to develop. The team selected the five new designs that were offered for public vote with the existing design.
Fabricating new signs to replace the approximately 90 current state welcome signs is estimated to cost less than $100,000. The new signs will be covered by a 12-year warranty and are expected to reflect light well beyond that time. The first new sign will be installed by April 22, 2006, the start of Historic Garden Week in Virginia, when many garden and history lovers visit the state.
“The ‘cardinal’ was the leading design right out of the starting gate, and it stayed in the lead to fly across the finish line first,” said Connie S. Sorrell, chief of system operations for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). The existing design, a smaller cardinal and dogwood blossom image against a blue background, came in second with 23.2 percent of the vote.
“The votes show that the public wanted an updated, fresh image of our state bird and flower and didn’t want to change those traditional symbols of our Commonwealth,” Sorrell said.
Just over 56,400 votes were cast as follows:
The state’s welcome signs’ design is about 50 years old. It was modified slightly several years ago. Most of the current signs are about 14 years old and need to be replaced because they are worn and have lost their reflectivity.
A small team that included representatives from other government agencies, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Jimmy Barrett of 1140 WRVA Radio recommended several themes for designers to develop. The team selected the five new designs that were offered for public vote with the existing design.
Fabricating new signs to replace the approximately 90 current state welcome signs is estimated to cost less than $100,000. The new signs will be covered by a 12-year warranty and are expected to reflect light well beyond that time. The first new sign will be installed by April 22, 2006, the start of Historic Garden Week in Virginia, when many garden and history lovers visit the state.
Page last modified: Aug. 29, 2007
