Effective Wayfinding Signage: Trail System Planning, Design, and Implementation

This webinar engages three different organizations spanned over three different states who discuss their individual projects and how to prepare effective, user-friendly and time-dynamic wayfinding signage guidelines. Kathy and Michael (Portland, OR area) will start the discussion with the planning process, followed by Travis (Redding, CA) who will discuss the implementation process, and Justin (Phoenix, AZ area) will end the webinar discussing the long term use.

Portland, OR area:

This portion of the webinar is intended to help public agency staff in planning, parks, and transportation engineering departments to understand the foundation for creating user-friendly signage guidelines for multi-jurisdictional pedestrian and bicycle trail networks. Their case study in particular will explore the Intertwine Regional Trails Signage Guidelines whose geographic scope includes 31 jurisdictions within three counties.

City of Redding, CA area:

The City of Redding created a trail wayfinding community advisory group made up of nonprofit members, staff from other local trail managers, American Trails staff, transportation groups, GIS experts, and more. This specialized group performed a small-scale meta-analysis of other wayfinding plans and combined what they felt were the best and most desirous features. The City was able to take this greatest hits of wayfinding (including the Intertwine Regional Trails Signage Guidelines) and translate it into a design, placement plan and use the effort for leveraging additional funding. Topics include multi-agency coordination, finding common ground with multiple partners, working with existing resources, and problems encountered in creating trail wayfinding plans.

Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area

Coffman Studio has a focus on creating unique wayfinding packages that embraces the identity of the community they are a part of, and in turn reinforcing the need for placemaking and placekeeping. This is done by creating a toolbox that includes signs meant for a wide array of uses, from trailheads too intersections, while continuing a theme throughout.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn how to initiate a grassroots wayfinding plan
• Understand sign hierarchy & placement
• Learn about unique identities for wayfinding signage

Trail Core Competencies

No skills listed.

Relevant Trail Types

General. All trail types are relevant.