TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Krishna Namburi, Interim City Manager
FROM: Brian D. Martin, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Recommended Sign Designs for Installation at the Salem-Keizer Together Entranceway.
Ward(s): Ward 5
Councilor(s): Brown
Neighborhood(s): Highland Neighborhood Association
Result Area(s): Safe, Reliable and Efficient Infrastructure; Welcoming and Livable Community.
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SUMMARY:
summary
New welcome signs have been designed for installation as part of the reconstruction of the Salem-Keizer Together Entranceway at the intersection of River Road N, Broadway Street NE, and Stark Street N. The sign designs have been recommended by both the Salem and Keizer Public Art Commissions and Keizer City Council. The signs are to be installed in the Fall of 2025.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council approve the sign design for the Salem-Keizer Together Entranceway location at the intersection of River Road N, Broadway Street NE, and Stark Street N?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Approve the sign design for the Salem-Keizer Together Entranceway location at the intersection of River Road N, Broadway Street NE, and Stark Street N.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
On October 28, 2024, Salem City Council directed staff to remove the damaged masonry structure at the Salem-Keizer Entranceway traffic island and replace it with an entranceway design that was more resilient to damage and less expensive to repair. Council further directed staff to involve the Salem Public Art Commission (SPAC) in the design of the welcome signs.
At its February 2024 meeting, SPAC approved a motion that the City design staff or the designated designer create site signage consistent with the Salem brand, as established in the Rick Yurk
designs style guide. SPAC also recommended consulting the City of Keizer on the Welcome to Keizer sign to align with their branding. Additionally, SPAC supported efforts to improve safety at the curve in the roadway with industry-standard reflective signage.
After incorporating features and colors from the Salem brand design style guide in the three proposed signs, the City of Keizer asked for some additional modifications to the Welcome to Keizer sign to better align with their brand. The Keizer Public Art Commission and Keizer City Council completed their review of the proposed signs in July 2025.
SPAC reviewed all three proposed sign designs at its September 10, 2025, meeting, suggested additional modifications, and recommended them for Salem City Council review. If approved, the signs will be fabricated and installed in the fall of 2025. The cost of fabricating and installing the new signs is estimated to be about $3,000 and will come directly from the Transportation Services Fund 155 operating budget.
Sign Design Components
All three signs will be printed on aluminum sheets 60 inches wide, 36 inches tall, on dual standard break-away metal sign posts, mounted on concrete footings. The signs are not initially intended to be illuminated. However, once installed, an evaluation of their visibility will be made to determine if a second phase of the project is warranted to install lighting.
Welcome to Salem Sign
The sign’s golden border is the same as Keizer’s and is similar to one of Salem’s style brand colors. The oval is reflective of the original oval Welcome to Salem sign attached to the original masonry structure. The word Salem is from the City’s current logo and the cherry blossom with embedded star is from the City’s adopted flag. The blue river background highlights the City’s tie to the Willamette River.
Welcome to Keizer Sign
The sign’s golden border is one of Keizer’s style guide colors. The oval is reflective of the sign that existed in the original entranceway structure. The word Keizer is in the City’s approved font. The bearded iris with stars is part of the City’s logo, reflective of the community’s annual iris festival. The blue river background highlights the importance of the Willamette River that flows along the western edge of Keizer.
Salem - Keizer Working Together Sign
The sign’s golden border is the same as the other two signs. The oval is reflective of the original sign shape from the original entranceway. The phrase Working Together continues the historic theme of the entranceway, showing two independent cities working together side-by-side - being good neighbors. The blue river background highlights that the Willamette River influences both cities. The cherry blossom and bearded iris icons are identifying features of each city.
BACKGROUND:
The original Salem-Keizer Together entranceway was constructed in the fall of 1993 on an existing triangle of land serving as a traffic island between Rover Road N, Stark Street N, and Broadway Street NE. The masonry structure was completed and dedicated in May 1994. The project was funded through $5,000 in grants from both the Cities of Salem and Keizer, with the remainder of the funding coming from local businesses and service organizations.
The original entranceway design was susceptible to impacts from errant motor vehicles, with a cycle of damage and reconstruction occurring multiple times beginning in 1995 through 2024 at significant cost to the City of Salem. On October 28, 2024, Salem City Council directed staff to remove the masonry structure and replace it with an entranceway design that was more resilient to damage and less expensive to repair. Council further directed staff to involve the Salem Public Art Commission in design of the replacement signs.
Mark Becktel, AICP
Assist. Public Works Director - Operations
Attachments:
1. Approximate Location of Entranceway Signs
2. Recommended Salem-Keizer Entranceway Sign Designs