WORTHINGTON - Community members gathered Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the arrival of the new city entrance signs.
One of three signs has been installed. The first is located on U.S. 59/Minnesota 60 near Crailsheim Drive (Nobles County 10). The second will be on U.S. 59 north of the city limits, and the third will be installed on Minnesota 60 near Blue Line Travel Center.
All three were supposed to be placed Tuesday, but the ground was too wet at two of the locations. Those signs will be installed once weather permits.
Mayor Mike Kuhle said the project has been in the works for a few years, and he is happy to see the signs make their debut.
“This tells folks who we are, and it projects the image that the community is proud of our town,” Kuhle said. “... It was designed locally, and it was built locally - that is something we can be proud of.”
Fullerton Building Systems was hired by the city to make the signs. Devon Bruns, the plant manager, said each sign took about two weeks to make. He said it was a great local project.
“We were building them when we are typically slow in the winter time,” Bruns said. “Ninety percent of our workforce lives right here in Worthington … this allow us to keep those bodies busy about two weeks longer verses going on unemployment.”
The letters on the sign will be backlit using solar power. The solar panels have been purchased but are not yet installed.
So far, the signs have cost approximately $76,000. The figure does not include the cost of installing the solar panels.
Numerous businesses and organizations have helped the city not only fund the new signage but place it as well, including Worthington Public Utilities, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Worthington Area Chamber of Commerce, Harvey Signs and Worthington Excavating. In addition, McCuen Construction placed the foundation, Larson Crane set the sign, and Larye Mick did the surveying.
