‘People need to see that’: Buffalo Grove spending $748,040 on new gateway signs

Buffalo Grove isn’t content with people just knowing it was named the best place to live in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report.

It wants to reinforce the message with 10 new gateway signs at the village’s key entrances and is willing to dig deep in its pockets to do it.

The signs will be installed over the next two years. Planned for this year are signs at the following locations:

• Arlington Heights Road (southern limits)

• Lake-Cook Road at Arlington Heights Road (western limits)

• Lake-Cook Road (eastern limits)

• Half Day Road (eastern limits)

• Buffalo Grove Road at Port Clinton Road (northern limits)

If feasible, another sign will be placed on Dundee Road at the eastern limits.

The village is paying Burke LLC, an affiliate of Rosemont-based Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd., $748,040 to oversee the sign project.

Burke will coordinate such elements as design, permits, subcontractors and construction.

Molly Gillespie, the village’s director of communications and engagement, said the sign project is part of the village rebrand started in 2024 and underscores the U.S. News & World Report honor.

“People need to see that when they come into town,” she said at last week’s meeting, when the contract with Burke was approved.

Although the majority of the board backed the new signs, one exception was Trustee David Weidenfeld, who praised the signs but balked at spending the money.

“I think we have reached the point where we are spending money in incredibly large gobs without really thinking about the public or the future,” he said, mentioning plans to spend millions of dollars on a new village hall and a park at The Clove development. “And we’re going to spend three-quarters of a million dollars on signs.”

Trustee Frank Cesario said he understands the concern but added that when the village rebranded, he accepted that it would spend money on signs.