Warren City Council members are right – gateway improvements and wayfinding signs are low-hanging fruit in the city’s comprehensive plan.

But sometimes it’s necessary to grab low-hanging fruit in order to get to the bigger, tastier fruit near the top of the tree.

It’s important to make sure the entryways into Warren look good if the city is going to spend money on tourism-related projects downtown. That includes, by the way, the $3 million project being proposed on the riverfront that will be the subject of a public meeting tonight at the Allegheny Community Center.

Having a wonderful new amenity on the river that ties into the existing outdoors tourism we have in Warren County but having unattractive gateways into the city is like creating the perfect ice cream sundae but topping it with dirt. Entry ways into the city should look good.

Wayfinding, too, makes a lot of sense. If we’re going to have amenities and market ourselves as a destination for outdoors tourism, we need to make it easier for people to know where they need to go once they get here.

People will use their cell phones to find things they know about, but what about local restaurants that they don’t know about yet? What about businesses that can help those from outside the area enjoy the outdoors activities that prompted their visit to Warren? Signs can make it easier for those who don’t know Warren to find the things they need to make their stay better.

The question, in our view, if the city should move forward with gateway improvements and wayfinding signs but instead how much the city should spend.