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The City of Monroe just keeps getting better!

I made a point long ago to "like" City of Monroe, WA on Facebook. Since then, I have noticed more and more just how much Monroe keeps advancing. From new restaurants and new construction to Monroe's new gateway signs. On February 2nd, 2022 City of Monroe, WA, announced on Facebook that "Monroe's new gateway signs are under construction."

City of Monroe, WA on Facebook:

shared this sneak peek of the letter "N" sitting on the I-beam that will hold the word "Monroe"

The gateway sign is going to be installed at the roundabout. If anyone doesn't know that location, it is at the west end of Main Street at the intersection of SR522. They added a

big thank you to the city's Economic Development Advisory Board who assisted with the overall gateway and wayfinding sign design. A second smaller sign will be installed at the south end of Lewis Street to greet travelers entering Monroe from the south over the Lewis Street bridge.

They add that there is more information on the Gateway/Wayfinding Signs HERE

The City of Monroe is working to update the city’s gateway and wayfinding signs. This important project will create gateway signs that will greet visitors and residents at main entrances into the city with a sign design that reflects the city's identity and makes a good first impression

How great is this? I, for one, am very excited to see this finished and look forward to seeing it make a great impression on visitors, residents etc. The people at Gateway/Wayfinding Signs also mentioned that this project will also include "a vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding sign program that will help people navigate through the community and promote economic development by highlighting key destinations and attractions."

Monroe Wayfinding Sign Assessment Report mentions Monroes Background

The City of Monroe is the gateway to the Cascade Mountains and multiple tourist destinations in east Snohomish County. It is a prime local, national, and international tourist destination. The City is served by three highway systems: US 2, State Route 522 and State Route 203. US 2 is one of only three highways which connect eastern and western Washington and serves 45,000 average daily trips. The City has grown 6% since 2011. The current population is 19,250. The majority of motorists that travel US 2 and State Route 522 are unaware of the City’s historic downtown, riverfront parks, artistic, cultural, retail, commercial, and entertainment services. Many new residents are unfamiliar with civic sites and key points of interest.

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Design Efforts

September 2019, a Request for Proposals

Tangram Design - The City of Monroe selected to work with design consultants

(proposal solicitation can be seen HERE)

Mindful that brand and identity are key to creating a sense of place within an environment, we will take the utmost care and consideration to ensure we capture the brand, identity, and communication that the City of Monroe wishes to share with their audiences. Applying this brand ideology to the signage is important because the signage will visually represent the city within the environment. The visual communication the signage and wayfinding system portrays creates a powerful and lasting emotional connection between the city and the people who are trying to navigate within it. Tangram will generate an authentic, meaningful experience within the signage and wayfinding system that will transform Monroe’s identity and message into an engaging place of understanding, awareness, interaction, and access.

You can also view Tangram Design’s kick-off presentation HERE .

BRAND - Brand is designed to create a sense of place!

Honors the City’s past while establishing its future as a regional hub

Reflect the City’s identity

Ways to brand without using City logo:

• Culture

• History

• Community

• Environment

• Future

(page 14)