For years, the City of Ripon entertained the idea of placing way-finding signs along with kiosks to help direct out-of-town visitors.

Add freeway signs to the mix.

On Tuesday, City Administrator Kevin Werner presented such a plan to the Ripon City Council. Included was the cost summary for each sign.

“The (signs) are to bring visitors from Highway 99 to Mistlin Sports Complex and to our Historic Downtown,” he said.

Werner noted that the freeway signs are $1,500 each – four would be needed at locations along Highway 99, and would require support from Caltrans – tallying $6,000.

Eleven way-finding signs would be needed at Mistlin and downtown, adding up to $44,000 at $4,000 each.

Werner estimated the kiosks at $15,000 each. The total here was $60,000.

“We would need them at four locations at Mistlin – at the entrances of the baseball, softball and soccer fields,” he said.

A 16-foot by 14-foot LED sign along River Road at the Mistlin Sports Complex, estimated at $150,000, is the most expensive of all the signs in the plan.

“We will look at different ways on how fund this project,” said Werner, who indicated that the dollar amount could change.

Councilman Dean Uecker, meanwhile, believes advertisement could be one source for funding. “But it would have to be done right,” he said.

Elected leaders opted to move forward with the plan, designating Uecker and Mayor Chuck Winn as their liaisons to the Ripon Chamber of Commerce in the two-by-two committee.

“There are two entities here, both with the same interest,” Councilman Leo Zuber said. “I think it’s important for the City to meet with the Chamber on this plan.

“This is a doable project and it needs to be done.”

The Chamber recently received Disneyland-type illustrative maps of Ripon. One of the ideas was to place these maps on the kiosks, according to Winn.

“This is just the first step,” he said. “But we can’t have a discussion about (the next step) without including the Chamber.”