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TTC Cartography, Signage, and Wayfinding

299 bloor call control.

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No one's mentioned it yet, but the TTC has started putting up updated versions of the subway map on its cars... and it's ridiculous. They've changed the font identifying the stations from faux-Helvetica/Arial (the Swis721 that Joe Clark speaks of) to a condensed, bolded look-alike. They've screwed up the spacing between the line and the station names. And to increase visual clutter, as if there wasn't enough already, they've decided to put the full station addresses (instead of the street number along Yonge or B-D) at every single station.
I'll snap a pic when I see it when I get a chance, since it's yet to be put up on ttc.ca
 
ya I saw that the other night. I wasn't sure if I was just tired or if the maps had actually changed. I remember thinking it looked a bit off though.
 
I finally caught a pic, albeit shaky, of the new map for those who haven't seen it. It bugs me even more now that the old location convention (i.e. 171 under Queen to say it's at 171 Yonge Street) is now gone... (it now says 3 Queen Street, for example).

OLD vs. NEW



Wrote more on my blog
.
 
I've always been meaning to say this, but keep forgetting: why is Wellesley shown as a "transfer" station? Sure, you need transfers for the Yonge bus; but if it's because of that, then shouldn't Rosedale be shown as needing transfers as well?
 
Another view of the two maps...

IMG_5270.jpg


IMG_5271.jpg
 
I've always been meaning to say this, but keep forgetting: why is Wellesley shown as a "transfer" station? Sure, you need transfers for the Yonge bus; but if it's because of that, then shouldn't Rosedale be shown as needing transfers as well?

Always pondered that, and the 97 bus is the only answer I've ever been able to come up with.

But you're right. In fact, every station on the Yonge Line except for Davisville should be shown as a transfer station using the Rosedale logic.
 
The explanation I've always received is due to the extremely high number of fare evasions at Wellesley relative to the other stations. There is some logic to it, since the bus platforms are pretty easy to sneak into, but that can be said about any station... (ahem, Leslie, a bus platform that is fare-paid and empty 95% of the day)

That being said, the bus platform remains fare paid anyway. If they were really serious about it, then they'd move the turnstiles as to make the bus platform unpaid.
 
299, I've linked to your blog with a short piece on this at Spacing Wire.

But the first commenter at Spacing noticed that at least two of the addresses are wrong - St. Andrew is shown as 173 King Street East and Castle Frank at 600 Bloor Street West!
 
Thanks ShonTron... I was wondering why there was a sudden huge spike in my blog. haha.

And the address mistakes are embarrassing to say the very least... but this gives hope that they'll take them down and reproduce them if there are glaring mistakes like that.. and hopefully revert back to the old convention.
 
Thanks ShonTron... I was wondering why there was a sudden huge spike in my blog. haha.

You got the ShonTron bump. Torontoist and BlogTO are also linking to your blog after I posted it up.

And the address mistakes are embarrassing to say the very least... but this gives hope that they'll take them down and reproduce them if there are glaring mistakes like that.. and hopefully revert back to the old convention.

I certainly hope the TTC is embarrassed into action.
 
TTC Maps and Wayfinding (no fantasy maps!)

This is coming to TTC meeting next week:

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Commission receive the presentation New Shelter Maps and Stop Poles, for information.
BACKGROUND
Customer information provided at TTC bus and streetcar stops do not meet the needs of customers or provide them with critical information they require to plan an onward journey. A new suite of information products have been developed to better meet this need. In addition to overall improvements the new poles and maps include stop number information required for the TTC next vehicle text service.
DISCUSSION
The Commission will be shown plans for a trial of new stop poles and shelter maps. These poles and maps will be first trialled on the 94 Wellesley Route starting in February, 2013
 
There's an article on the new pole signs and maps (presumably in the shelters) at http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/02/ttc_unveils_new_system_map_and_stop_poles/

It's a shame that there isn't a simple indication where the 94 goes on the stop. All it would have to say is Castle Frank or Ossington. Perhaps with a subway station symbol. Many other cities do this ...
515-yellow.jpg
... and with a lot less real estate on the pole to label!
 
I spotted one of the new bus stops on Harbord at Huron on my ride home.

View attachment 10348

They should add a "destination" or "direction" indication. This this case either "94+ ⬆Eastbound to Castle Frank Stn.". "94 ⬆Westbound to Ossington Stn.", or "94C ⬆Westbound to Wellesley Stn,". Or at minimum, on the bottom red bar put compass directions, or "U" or "D" to reflect what's on the paper transfer.

89-96.jpg
 
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