The signs are part of the E-911 addressing process. They will be erected at the end of each rural driveway to help fire and ambulance crews locate a residence more easily. Maintenance foreman Tom Molling told the board they had a choice of either buying the signs or purchasing equipment to create them. Commissioners noted that having the equipment available to create its own signs allows for faster delivery time when new or replacement signs are needed. The cost would be less, too.
Single orders costs twice as much as high volume orders.
The county board gave its approval for County Highway Engineer Allen Henke to purchase the equipment necessary to make its own signs and also to solicit bids for the sign blanks. The driveway signs are six inches tall by 16 inches wide and will be blue. Coordinator Dan Krzoska said the county is working with the post office to make sure all of the 3,000 new rural addresses are correct. He said, I don t want too many of them messed up. Krzoska said the erection of the signs will probably take place in the summer after the bids go through and someone is trained to operate the sign making equipment.