The Lincoln County Port Authority has hired Vicky Soderberg of Cygnet Strategies, a Helena-based tourism planning company, to plan and carry out a sign overhaul in Libby.

Known as “wayfinding” in the industry, the signs are designed to be used by people who have no local knowledge and point them in the direction of attractions and services using a cohesive design that is easy to follow. Cygnet Strategies previous wayfinding work can be seen in Kalispell, Whitefish and Lewistown.

“In some cases, we are also trying to steer tourists away from certain areas,” Soderberg said during a public presentation on July 13.

At the public meeting, the group verified the list of destinations to be signposted and reviewed the location of each sign, Port Authority Executive Director Tina Oliphant said Monday.

A color scheme for the signs was settled upon as well, and Oliphant said although the exact tones have not been finalized, the signs will have two shades of blue with white font.

Soderberg said during her presentation that “Montana Department of Transportation signs, which are brown, will be replaced with the new signs so we have a consistent and easy-to-follow sign system.”

In a post meeting interview on July 17, Libby chamber member Kim Peck, who is on the wayfinding board, said two other board members, LeRoy Thom and Todd Berget plan to add a metal cut out of the Cabinet Mountains to every wayfinding sign.

“The cut outs will make our signs unique, not just like highway signs,” said Peck, who also said that having the wayfinding signs will help tourists see what’s available in Libby and encourage them to come back to explore the attractions they saw signposted even if they don’t stop immediately.

“I think it will also help locals find new things in our community,” Peck said “sometimes we don’t see what’s in front of us, and Libby has a lot to offer.”

When asked by community representatives during the meeting whose land the signs will be placed on, Soderberg answered the signs will all be placed with permission in the right of way on city or county lands, not on private property.

Soderberg also suggested approximate mileage be posted on the signs, as “1.2 miles reads from a distance as 12 miles.”

“It’s better to give a general idea of how many miles in whole miles,” she said.”

New gateway signs welcoming drivers to Libby are not included in the wayfinding project.

The Port Authority has not yet secured funding for the project. Oliphant said it plans to apply for a Montana Department of Tourism grant with a Sept. 30 deadline to cover at least part of the total cost.

The project is slated to be presented at the Aug. 21 Libby City Council meeting, Oliphant said, and if everything goes well, will be completed the summer of 2018.

“It’s been a very popular idea,” Oliphant said. “We’ve had a lot of support.”