The deadline for bids from entities wanting to provide signs for Washington’s wayfinding program is 4 p.m. Friday.

“We won’t open them then. We’ll probably wait to the following Monday (June 25) to open them,” said John Rodman, the city’s community and cultural resources director. Rodman said he plans to inform the City Council, which meets June 25, about the bids. He doesn’t expect the council to make a decision concerning the bids at that meeting.

City Manager Bobby Roberson said the council would review the bids in detail later. “He’s (Rodman) going to give them (council members) and update about where we are, how much they cost. Some of them have different opinions about where the signs are going to be located. We’re going to give them a heads-up and say, ‘Tell us where you want it.’ That’s where we’re going to put it,” Roberson said.

The city has been pursuing its wayfinding program for several years. Currently, the city has about $150,000 available for the signs. The project will be done in phases, Roberson said.

The City Council, during its May 23 meeting, authorized city staff and the Washington Harbor District Alliance to search for an entity to provide the signs, part of the city’s effort to make it easier for visitors and others to find specific places in the city, especially in the waterfront and downtown areas. Late last year, the council decided to wait until this year to make a decision regarding funding of the city’s wayfinding project. During its Nov. 9, 2015, meeting, the council balked at allocating $101,606 for 24 signs that are part of a recommended overall sign project consisting of 84 signs — including gateway, directional and parking signs. The project, as presented then, would have been split into three phases because of its cost, according to a presentation made to the council last year.

In November 2015, two Washington residents criticized the Washington City Council for not providing the funding needed to begin implementing the city’s wayfinding program. Rebecca Clark, a downtown business owner, and Scott Campbell, a downtown resident and real-estate agent, told the council they were upset that the project has “dragged on” for three years and that funds for the wayfinding signs had not yet been released.

Last year, Councilman Doug Mercer questioned spending nearly $2,000 each for parking signs he said could be purchased for much less — under $50 each — from a source other than the one included in the wayfinding plan developed by Deep Fried Creative, a Washington-based company.

The wayfinding strategies designed for Washington would improve traffic circulation (vehicles and pedestrians) in the city and direct visitor dollars to where they would have the most economic impact, according to Rodman.

In an effort to reduce costs, new signs would be erected on existing utility poles, especially the decorative light poles in the historic and waterfront districts, Rodman said.