This downtown sign is the most visible messaging center in the city.  We have received complaints since its installation about legibility/readability.  Staff currently has to go look at the sign once it has been programmed at city hall to see what it really looks like in person.  Also, because of the low pixel rate, graphics are often blurry and not easy to read.

The new sign will have 8mm pixels, which is more than twice as many pixels as the current sign, allowing for much better graphics and readability.  In just the four years since its installation, the technology has improved more than 100% on legibility and programming.  The sign will also be able to be programmed from a cell phone in real time/real appearance using Daktronics secure cloud based Venus Control Suite. 

This new digital center is also equipped with built in emergency messaging.  These emergency alert systems are integrated with Venus Control Suite. The city will have the option to choose the desired level of involvement by turning on alerts and selecting times and frequency. When there's an alert in the area, it automatically runs on the displays.  The software pulls weather and emergency data from IPAWS including weather information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service along with the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  This is similar to the data pushed out to cell phones in an emergency (severe weather or flooding).  The system also can run alerts from the Amber and Silver Alert networks.

Staff is working with Indigo Signs to see if it is possible to replace the smaller messaging center at the Community Center with the larger cabinet.  Since the Community Center staff are on site, they would be able to see what was programmed on the boards.  The Community Center has less traffic volumes and at slower speeds so the sign could be a good fit there.