Visitors to the Queen City will have an easier time finding local attractions as Visit Meridian looks to add new signage guiding people around town.

Lauderdale County Tourism Director Laura Carmichael on Tuesday told the Meridian City Council the new signs will help both pedestrians and those in vehicles find their way to popular destinations around town.

“What this will include is signage, vehicular and pedestrian signage, so when you come down 22nd Avenue, Sela Ward Parkway, that you see a Welcome to Meridian sign, and that when you come down that Main Street going into our city, you’ll see signage that directs you to places like the Children’s Museum, like The MAX, to our points of interest,” she said.

Signage will also be installed in the city’s downtown parking garage to help guide visitors coming from that direction as well, Carmichael said.

Carmichael said she is also looking to install a kiosk at Dumont Plaza to provide visitors with even more information about Meridian. The kiosk, she said, will have a map of the downtown. QR codes will also be available for residents to scan, providing them with directions to other points of interest throughout the city such as Merrehope, the Dentzel Carousel and Bonita Lakes.

Councilwoman Ty Bell Lindsey asked if the new signage would be limited to downtown or if new signs will also be installed at Merrehope and other areas that draw visitors as well.

Although the initial plan for the signage project is centered on downtown, Carmichael said her goal is to expand the scope to include other areas of town as well.

“We’re going to start downtown,” she said. “There will probably be two phases, but yes, it will include all those areas as well.”

Carmichael said she is looking to make the project a group effort that includes both Lauderdale County and the city of Meridian working to build on the city’s growing reputation as a destination.

“So, we’re really excited about it, and you’re going to see a lot more about the project” she said.

Consent Decree

In other business, the Meridian City Council on Tuesday approved a $1.2 million task order with Waggoner Engineering for program management at administration services related to the EPA sewer consent decree.

Public Works Director David Hodge said this is the fourth task order Waggoner will be given under a contract approved by the council in November 2022. The previous three task orders have totaled $1.8 million, he said, with the total amount of the contract not to exceed $4 million.

Waggoner is one of three engineering firms assisting the city with consent decree work and is acting as the project manager for the work. The firm is responsible for making sure the EPA’s reporting requirements are met, locating outside sources of funding, developing policies and ordinances and working with city employees to train employees how to maintain the sewer system after the consent decree is gone.