BY CHUCK SMITH
csmith@gbtribune.com

This year it will be the west side of Barton County that will get new signs as part of an effort that is being required by “higher” levels of government, Barton County Commissioners were told this week.
Road and Bridge Department Director Dale Phillips explained that the effort to replace all of the directional signs at all of the county intersections, will begin with U.S. 281 and go west this year.
Next year, the department will go from the highway east.
The low price for materials to allow for the replacements will still cost the county $26,890.10.
And Phillips explained this is to replace existing signs that the county had already installed when it initiated the 911 emergency locator system.
According to information from the county: “The Manual of Uniform Traffic Code (MUTCD) guidelines now require a nine inch high reflective sign with six inch white letters on a green blank with a white border by an extended deadline of January, 2015.  
“To date, the department has created 1,085 signs. 
“Another 800 signs have been identified for replacement, in addition to the street signage in rural subdivisions. 
“An effort is underway to tally that number at this time.”
The signs are all of three inches taller than what is already in place, the commissioners have been told.
There will be more than 3,000 signs replaced all told, Phillips commented at this week’s commission meeting.