Quarterly Fun

Urbanism doesn’t particularly lend itself to practical jokes, but it has moments of quirkiness, amusement, and whimsy.  That’s close enough for me to offer a quarterly urbanist celebration of April Fools Day.

Blog Post Soundtrack: For your listening enjoyment while reading this post, here are the ten best songs ever written about subways.  It’s easy to love a list that includes Duke Ellington, Petula Clark, the Kingston Trio, and Sesame Street

Subway Stations as Art: Showing what can be done when transit is an essential and valued part of a city, Stockholm has subway stations that Kaid Benfield of the National Resources Defense Council justifiably calls the “world’s longest art exhibit”.

Canine Commuting: There are two rescue dogs often sleeping near my feet as I write this blog.  So my preference is that the dogs in this story find good homes.  But with that point made, it remains remarkable that stray dogs have learned how to use the Moscow subway to commute between where they sleep and where they forage for food.  Indeed, it seems so incredible that I checked Snopes to learn if it might be an urban myth.  But thus far no one has debunked the story.

Free-Form Driving: There’s a non-intuitive fact about traffic markings.  Fewer traffic markings can sometimes result in improved traffic safety.  Traffic markings give drivers a sense of what everyone will do, giving them permission to pay less attention to the other cars and rendering them less capable of dealing with surprises.  Conversely, the absence of traffic road markings can put drivers on full alert.

Readers who drove through downtown Petaluma when the pre-road diet and post-road diet lane markings were both visible know the phenomenon.  Drivers were confused by the apparent dual markings and were particularly cautious.  It was only when the markings were again clear that accidents resumed.

A recent addition to Petaluma Urban Chat offers this video from Ho Chi Minh City, showing a heavily utilized but unlined traffic circle working surprisingly well.

The Shortest Path from Tree to Bench: Nearer to home, a City of San Francisco employee is showing a sense of whimsy and utility in the removal of dead and dying trees, turning the stumps into impromptu seats for weary pedestrians.  The City will be best served when the stumps are ground and new trees planted, but the seats make a smile-inducing interim addition to the sidewalk.

Digital Wayfinding: Other than the “time to next train” signs at transit stops, the digital revolution hasn’t touched on-the-ground urban wayfinding.  (Obviously, I’m excluding smartphone map functions, which have been a game-changer.)  Here is one firm’s idea of how urban wayfinding can incorporate technology.  My guess is that this particular approach will never be implemented, but that it’ll spawn new ideas that will change cities.

Fictional Bridges Brought to Life: Many Euro notes have bridges on their back.  The bridges represent types of bridges that have been historically used in Europe, but are fictional in their details to avoid showing favoritism to one country.

At least the bridges were fictional until the development team for a housing project in the Dutch town of Spijkinesse decided to emulate the bridges for their canal crossings.  As an engineer, it’s evident to my eye that the bridges are conventional, even boring, concrete structures with neon profiles pasted  on, but the concept is still fun.

Please share if you have a favorite urban whimsy.  The next whimsy update is only three months away.

As always, your questions or comments will be appreciated.  Please comment below or email me.  And thanks for reading. - Dave Alden (davealden53@comcast.net)

(Attribution note: The photo is from the Atlantic Cities article on the Dutch bridges.)

Wayfinding in Chattanooga, Richmond, and Indianapolis

Interesting wayfinding stories continue to find their way to my computer monitor, which may be the internet’s way of telling me to share.

Similar to the story I earlier passed along about vigilante wayfinding in Raleigh, North Carolina, another scofflaw urbanist has begun mounting unapproved wayfinding signs in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  The Chattanooga attempt seems a more brute force approach, lacking the subtlety or stealth of the Raleigh effort, but urban enthusiasm is always appreciated, even if heavy-handed.

(I spent a night in Chattanooga last year.  Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to look around, but was intrigued by the areas of downtown I saw.  Since then, I’ve read articles about the rebirth of the city and become fascinated by it.  A fascination that is apparently shared by others, based on this story about local typeface designers creating a font specifically for use in Chattanooga.  Unfortunately, the vigilante wayfinding signs didn’t use the font.)

Meanwhile, the state of Virginia is trying to find their way through a different wayfinding dilemma.  To raise funds for street and highway repairs, the state has adopted a sponsorship program, allowing businesses to put their names on roadway segments.  All funds raised would go to maintenance of the road.

To maximize advertising revenue, the state isn’t content solely to post signs with “Pizza Hut Expressway”.  They also want on-line mapping services, such as Google Maps, to display the sponsored name.

I’m sympathetic to the need to increase infrastructure funding in these times.  I’m generally amenable to tax reform and tax hikes, but also understand the political realities.  Further, if I try really hard, I can manage not to gag when presented with sports venue names such as O.co Coliseum or AT&T Park.

But the Virginia scheme goes too far.  Street signage isn’t just another type of billboard.  It’s an essential element of wayfinding.  Will the advertising dollars cover the liability costs when a driver, confused by whether the old Westside Highway has become “Rice-a-Roni Highway” or “Preparation H Highway”, causes a multiple-car collision?  Public safety argues against the plan.

Nor is it even clear that the advertising dollars would be significant enough to make a real difference.   There seems to be a common perception that advertising dollars are an infinite resource, with the only limit being our creativity in conceiving new spots on to which signs can be slapped.

But behind any advertising is a real company with a real advertising budget.  And it’s usually a company selling a consumer product to a population whose resources for consumer spending have been barely holding even.  The golden goose may already be on life support.

Virginia seems committed to the plan.  I can only hope that the sponsorship dollars are so paltry that the plan dies a quick and quiet death.

Lastly, American Dirt offers thoughts on changes in the downtown street grid in Indianapolis.  The link is long and could have used better editing (criticisms which can also be often applied here), but the thrust is that Indianapolis allowed several downtown street segments to be vacated to facilitate new office buildings without adequately considering the consequences.  (Which is somewhat parallel to the Apple situation in Cupertino.)

I’ll generally come down in favor of retaining as many street connections as possible.  But I’ll acknowledge that sometimes street vacation is an acceptable option.  But when it happens, other complementary changes should be made so the traffic that formerly used the vacated street is easily and conveniently shifted elsewhere.  This seems to be step that Indianapolis missed.

Wayfinding is more than maps and signs.  It also includes the clues that we pick up from the streets themselves.  By at least this account, Indianapolis failed to respond to that need.  And the best maps and signage struggle to overcome that shortfall.

As always, your questions or comments will be appreciated.  Please comment below or email me.  And thanks for reading. - Dave Alden (davealden53@comcast.net)

(Photo by David Barlew, Jr.)

Wayfinding in Suisun City and Ukiah

While engaging in some early summer wanderlust, I came across wayfinding signs in Suisun City and Ukiah.  Between the two, Suisun City was the clear winner.  And neither had the multiple and inconsistent wayfinding systems that detracted from the wayfinding system in Napa. 

Suisun City started with a great background color.  Blue is typically used for informational signs, such as the signs about services available at upcoming freeway exits, so the color immediately evokes a subconscious sense of helpfulness.  Blue also reflects the connection to the bay which is critical to Suisun City’s image.  The graphic further complements the blue, promising the experiences that the town intends to provide while also representing the most iconic architecture of Suisun City.

The directions provided aren’t elaborate, but to the point.  And they work for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

As in Napa, there are no directions to the nearby residential neighborhoods, but unlike Napa, Suisun City really doesn’t have neighborhoods about which to brag.  As an urbanist, I love the walkable urban neighborhoods of Suisun City and am thrilled by the architecture and how the newer homes blend well with the older homes.  But Suisun City lacks the historical architectural richness of Napa, so directing visitors to the neighborhoods wouldn’t be reasonable.  (That I must point out the difference between the two cities is a triumph for Suisun City when one considers its situation just a few years ago.)

I like the inclusion of the municipal incorporation date because it gives a sense of history.  But I also agree with putting the information in a small font because the current attractions of Suisun City have little to do with its history.

I didn’t try to determine the frequency of the Suisun City signs, but noted several during my amble and used them effectively.  The sign density and placement seemed fine.

Compared to Suisun City, the wayfinding in Ukiah is competent, but less effective.   I’m unsure how much less effective because I could only find this one sign.  I circled a couple of other blocks looking for a second one, but was unsuccessful.  Perhaps I was unlucky, but it’s more likely that Ukiah needs more signs.

The graphic is fine, but the white background doesn’t work as well as the blue in Suisun City.  And there is the question of the information that is included.  I don’t know the Ukiah golf course, but question why it would be the top entry on the list.  The sign was located on a side street next to the courthouse, a location in which it seemed unlikely that a golfer in need of directions would find it.

And then there is the obvious oddity on the sign, the listing of “Downtown” without a direction arrow.   My guess is that the sign originally had an arrow, but merchants who considered themselves to be downtown but were located in the opposite direction from the arrow complained and the arrow was removed.  However, the absence of an arrow risks sending another message.  “Yes, perhaps it doesn’t look like much, but this truly is downtown Ukiah.”

If your town is considering a new wayfinding system, I encourage you to look at Suisun City over Ukiah.

As always, your questions or comments will be appreciated.  Please comment below or email me.  And thanks for reading. - Dave Alden (davealden53@comcast.net)

Napa Wayfinding

I’ve talked about Napa in several recent posts. I’ll move on shortly, but not before looking at wayfinding in downtown Napa.

I offered a quick introduction to wayfinding in a recent post. In summary, wayfinding isn’t solely about posting directional signs. It’s about having a coherent vision of what visitors should see in a community, particularly the experiences which would encourage them to spend money and to return. Then, it’s about ensuring that the visitors find those experiences. Signs should certainly be a part of wayfinding, but they can be complemented by architecture, placemaking, and other factors.

Measured against that standard, Napa lacks a coherent vision. Perhaps because of that absence, the directional signs, although well-intentioned, don’t tell an articulate story.

Starting with the signs which are directed at the cars traveling the downtown streets, note the inconsistency between the framing and the message. The logo at the top describes the downtown as historic. It’s a nice thought, but the directions then describe where to park, where to conduct municipal business, where to shop, and how to leave town. There isn’t a single direction to a place of historic interest. Obviously, as visitors drive around town, they’ll see signs that point to other destinations, such as Riverfront or the Oxbow Public Market, but I didn’t see a single sign that pointed to a historic site.

Once visitors park, they encounter a different type of signage, street maps mounted in cases. It’s an acceptable solution, but uninspired. It’s too much information to retain once one walks away. Plus, in an era when most people are carrying phones with map functions, a wall-mounted map is redundant.

And then once the visitors are strolling about town, they encounter a third type of signage for businesses only. They’re nicely made, but give directions to a seemingly random assortment of businesses that a visitor may or may not be interested in patronizing.

Nowhere in this system of wayfinding is historic mentioned again. Combined with largely dated and uninspiring architecture, it’s not surprising that pedestrians aren’t thronging downtown.

If I’m going to be critical of the current wayfinding system, I should have suggestions. And I do. Napa is a nice little town. It even has a historic past. But not much evidence of that history remains. Architecturally, much of the downtown is fundamentally uninteresting.

But what Napa does have is a place solidly within one of the premier gastronomical regions of the world. Napa wayfinding should drop any pretense of historic and focus on what the town truly has to impress visitors. Also, Napa has architecturally interesting neighborhoods both north and south of downtown. It’s been awhile since I’ve toured the neighborhoods around downtown, but I remember enjoying them.

If I were to schedule a perfect Napa outing, it would start with a light lunch featuring California cuisine, followed by a stroll through a nearby neighborhood with directions and viewing notes downloaded to my phone, followed by an extended wine sampling at a downtown establishment, and then concluded with a fine dining experience that last over two hours.

That is what Napa has to offer. The challenge is to define a wayfinding system that helps make it happen.

As always, your questions or comments will be appreciated. Please comment below or email me. And thanks for reading. - Dave Alden (davealden53@comcast.net)