West Virginia Installs New Signs to Greet Motorists

Signs promoting West Virginia as "Open for Business" along interstates at state borders will be taken down by State Division of Highways crews and replaced with signs reading "Wild and Wonderful," a variant of the "Wild, Wonderful" slogan that adorns most state license plates. Almost 50,000 West Virginians voted to replace the old slogan in a 2007 online poll, and "Wild, Wonderful" was approved by more than 57 percent as a replacement. Lara Ramsburg, representative of state Gov. Joe Manchin, says the addition of the word "and" makes the new slogan more grammatically sensible, while state Sen. John Yoder (R) says the statement "rolls off the tongue easier." Ramsburg reports that an order has been placed for new lettering for 27 signs, adding that companies also have bid on producing new graphics for some 80 smaller signs at other state entry points. She says the state Department of Transportation will cover the cost of the sign project, which should amount to roughly $40,000, including labor and materials. To keep costs down, highway crews will perform sign replacements during normal maintenance schedules, and Ramsburg notes that the removal/replacement of the larger signs will require aerial equipment. Manchin's name will not be included in the new graphics, so they will not need to be revised with the election of a new governor.