ROGERS — Bids for the manufacture and installation of wayfinding signs to be placed on major thoroughfares in seven cities in the region were opened this week.

Four bids were received, said Stacey Sturner, with the Northwest Arkansas Council.

Wayfinding signs direct visitors to various areas or attractions in a city, from shopping areas to sports fields to downtown.

“We haven’t tabulated the bids or inspected the bids to determine if they meet the specifications, so I don’t have any exact figures yet. We hope to be able to award a contract within the next two weeks,” Sturner said.

Bentonville was the first city to use wayfinding signs.

The council and Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission are directing placement of wayfinding signs in several communities.

“We are handling the oversight and signing of a contract,” said John McLarty, assistant director and transportation planner with the commission.

“The council, working with the individual cities, is doing most of the real work,” McLarty said.

“It’s really kind of cool that several cities in the region are participating in the program,” said Allyson Twiggs Dyer, Rogers Convention and Tourism Bureau director.

“Visitors will be able to move around the region using the wayfinding signs. It gives the region some cohesion,” Dyer said.

The signs in each town will be shaped alike, but each city will have a different color sign and a unique pattern on the back of the sign. The signs will be aqua in Rogers.

“Each city will have a pattern that says something about that town. For instance, Siloam Springs will have a pattern that represents fresh water springs. Rogers will have a brick pattern to reflect our brick street,” Dyer said.

The program is paid for by the Walton Family Foundation and the cities.

“A grant from the foundation was the seed and the cities are doing the sowing,” Sturner said.

Rogers will have about 58 signs placed along the major arteries in town, Dyer said.

“The signs, which will vary in size depending on the speed limit where the sign is and won’t name individual businesses, but will point the way to the aquatic center, the sport park, the high schools, downtown and the museums,” Dyer said.

Clarice Moore, owner of The Rabbit’s Lair, 116 S. First St., said merchants are excited about the signs.

“Oh, I think the signs are going to be great for downtown and the rest of the city. We really need them,” Moore said.

Kerry Jensen, executive director of Main Street Rogers, said he thinks the signs will be very beneficial for tourists and local merchants.

“The signs will be a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week advertisement for our area. I think the signs will be a big help,” Jensen said.