Those driving through the streets of Oyster Bay hamlet may have noticed something different in recent days: new street signs.
The new blue and white signs with brackets shaped like sails are meant to pay tribute to Oyster Bay’s nautical history, according to John Bonifacio, president of the Oyster Bay Main Street Association.
“They are a nice addition to the town,” Bonifacio says.
The plan for new signage in the downtown area has been in the works since 2000, a project undertaken by the Main Street Association (MSA) as well as community groups. The cost of the custom-made signs is covered by a matching grant; the MSA raised $70,000, and the federal government matched those funds.
The streets signs went up last week, and the installation is the first phase of a three-part project. Next month, directional signs will go up, and interpretative signs are expected to be in place by the summer.
Meredith Maus, project manager for the MSA, says a total of 120 street signs were created, and there will be seven directional signs at the main intersection that will lead visitors to attractions around town. A total of 10 interpretative signs telling the story of Oyster Bay will be installed in the coming months, though the locations have yet to be determined. She says that the goal is to unify the signs, since all of the current signs look different and are in various states of disrepair.
“We’re very excited to see the new signs up and want to say thank you for the support we received from other organizations and the Town of Oyster Bay,” says Maus.
The first signs were installed near TR Elementary School and West Main Street on Tuesday, April 3, and the rest were installed by the Town of Oyster Bay throughout the downtown business district throughout the rest of the week.
“We are grateful for the town and the help of the community,” Bonifacio says. “I’m very excited, we are one of the last to finally get the signs.”
