TTC: Redesigning TTC Signage

[wilson_wu]

I suggested this idea to Adam Giambrone at the time he was chair. He said he liked it but without funds, there was nothing he could do.

The problem with TTC signs:
-It mashes ALL RELEVENT INFORMATION into one sentence on the sign without any form of organization at all!
-It does not create a separate wayfinding signage system for separate elevator users.
-It uses far too many GIANT pictograms for anything and everything adding to the mishmash. Do we really need giant pictograms for anything and everything? The only things deserving of giant pictograms are core services being used mostly by everyone, such as train platforms and bus/streetcar terminals. Taxi Stands, Passenger Pickups, Parking Lots should still have pictograms but their sizes should be minimized and lumped in with general information for exits.
-IT HAS ALSO GRATED MY NERVES TO SEE STAIRS LABELLED "STAIRS" WITH AN ICON. Is this really necessary? It's always baffled my mind. I know the TTC wants to distinguish between stairs and escalators but my god it's so stupid to label stairs. The TTC should keep pictograms of escalators and eliminate pictograms of stairs. Lack of a stairs pictogram will indicate it is served by stairs (common sense considering they're everywhere lol!)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/1795748710_6ee2964830_o.jpg

Suggested signage.
Exits are lettered. With so much information at some stations, it needs to be organized into lettered exits. Once someone sees that "Passenger Pickup" is associated with "Exit F", they'll follow that letter "F" instead of constantly hunting for the words "Passenger Pickup" as they walk.
Elevators are numbered Everyone knows that people with wheelchair devices must take a different route than most people and my signs ensure they are not left out. Not only do my signs post all exits, it immediately identifies in blue which exits are accessible and which are not. Some stations can have 3-4 elevators on one level, numbering them would help direct users to the correct ones. Once wheelchair users reach their "Elevator #", there will be more directional information on a panel outside the elevator. (E.g. M-Mezzanine Level: Transfer to Elevator 4 for street level.)
Example Below By looking at the exemplar below, you will immediately see and can choose between 2 exits ahead that are wheelchair accessible. If people get off the subway at Finch and have to get to the East Parking Lot, people without disabilities will simply have to follow and find the stairway that is marked H. People with wheelchair devices will have to follow and find Elevator 4. Simple!

At high traffic locations, such as platform level, mezzanines or exits, general station wayfinding could be tacked on the wall to help the truly confused:

 

[car4041]

Suggested signage.

Very nice! Exit numbers/letters would be a huge help in complicated stations. (I find Sheppard-Yonge the worst -- I don't know the area well, and finding the right way out of the station always baffles me.) Those compass icons are nice too -- subtle enough that most people wouldn't interpret them as telling them which direction to walk.

Using red for both exits and buses might be a bit confusing, but that's just a detail.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Northbound, Southbound, etc. seems to be quite a long word. Has this been shortened anywhere else. "NB" or "SB" for northbound or southbound is probably not readily understood. Could you show a compas with the direction highlighted and the letter beside it?

Here are some signs with compasses. Thanks to BurlOak for suggesting this. I created the compass out of a font I found on my computer and because of this the design doesn't look great at the moment. But I'll add a proper compass later. This is just the first version to see how it would look.

The compass should help with accessibility.



My one concern with the compass is that people may confuse it with the arrows that are meant to help people navigate around the station. What do you guys think?

I'm not a big fan of the first one. I'd prefer if it used one single compass rose with the letters "N" and "S".

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I suggested this idea to Adam Giambrone at the time he was chair. He said he liked it but without funds, there was nothing he could do.

The problem with TTC signs is they try to mash ALL RELEVENT INFORMATION into one sentence on the sign without any form of organization at all! Nor does it do a good job of creating a wayfinding signage system for the separate elevator users.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/1795748710_6ee2964830_o.jpg

Suggested signage.
Exits are lettered. With so much information at some stations, it needs to be organized into lettered exits. Once someone sees that "Passenger Pickup" is associated with "Exit F", they'll follow that letter "F" instead of constantly hunting for the words "Passenger Pickup" as they walk.
Elevators are numbered Everyone knows that people with wheelchair devices must take a different route than most people and my signs ensure they are not left out. Not only do my signs post all exits, it immediately identifies in blue which exits are accessible and which are not. Some stations can have 3-4 elevators on one level, numbering them would help direct users to the correct ones. Once wheelchair users reach their "Elevator #", there will be more directional information on a panel outside the elevator. (E.g. M-Mezzanine Level: Transfer to Elevator 4 for street level.)

At high traffic locations, such as platform level, mezzanines or exits, general station wayfinding could be tacked on the wall to help the truly confused:

This is very impressive to say the least. It is much, much better then the current "system", where you basically pick an exit and hope that it take you to where you're going. I particularly like the idea of numbering elevators.

 

[eltodesukane]

"STAIRS LABELLED "STAIRS" WITH AN ICON"
I remember a logo sign for stairs in a hospital, it was put up sideways, and people were asking me if this was the way to the swimming pool, or the wave pool.

 

[adma]

--

 

[BurlOak]

How would this be clearer than just calling it the Eglinton line, which explicitly states exactly where it goes? Why make everyone learn an arbitrary correspondence (M = Eglinton line) when we can just call it what it is? What is gained?

For this, I agree that M is confusing. But if this hypothetical line is extended to STC, or Malvern - then half its length would not be on Eglinton.

 

[BurlOak]

If the subway lines really need an abstract designation, why not use colours -- at least that's something that can be linked with the visual image of the map, as opposed to a completely arbitrary letter or number. (Although it's too bad that the Sheppard line is such an indescribable purple-ish shade -- the "Mauve line"?)

Although not done on Ontario Highways, the US interstate system (and Quebec) have even numbers running E-W and odd running N-S. Also, the numbering starts in the SW corner. Not quite an arbitrary system - so people may figure out the logic with time.

 

[BurlOak]

Here are some signs with compasses. Thanks to BurlOak for suggesting this. I created the compass out of a font I found on my computer and because of this the design doesn't look great at the moment. But I'll add a proper compass later. This is just the first version to see how it would look.

The compass should help with accessibility.



My one concern with the compass is that people may confuse it with the arrows that are meant to help people navigate around the station. What do you guys think?

I'm not a big fan of the first one. I'd prefer if it used one single compass rose with the letters "N" and "S".

I prefer the compass from wilson_wu. For two directions, I would put a North facing compass, then "&" and then a south facing compass. Putting both on one compass would be confusing.

 

[BurlOak]

I suggested this idea to Adam Giambrone at the time he was chair. He said he liked it but without funds, there was nothing he could do.

The problem with TTC signs:
-It mashes ALL RELEVENT INFORMATION into one sentence on the sign without any form of organization at all!
-It does not create a separate wayfinding signage system for separate elevator users.
-It uses far too many GIANT pictograms for anything and everything adding to the mishmash. Do we really need giant pictograms for anything and everything? The only things deserving of giant pictograms are core services being used mostly by everyone, such as train platforms and bus/streetcar terminals. Taxi Stands, Passenger Pickups, Parking Lots should still have pictograms but their sizes should be minimized and lumped in with general information for exits.
-IT HAS ALSO GRATED MY NERVES TO SEE STAIRS LABELLED "STAIRS" WITH AN ICON. Is this really necessary? It's always baffled my mind. I know the TTC wants to distinguish between stairs and escalators but my god it's so stupid to label stairs. The TTC should keep pictograms of escalators and eliminate pictograms of stairs. Lack of a stairs pictogram will indicate it is served by stairs (common sense considering they're everywhere lol!)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/1795748710_6ee2964830_o.jpg

Suggested signage.
Exits are lettered. With so much information at some stations, it needs to be organized into lettered exits. Once someone sees that "Passenger Pickup" is associated with "Exit F", they'll follow that letter "F" instead of constantly hunting for the words "Passenger Pickup" as they walk.
Elevators are numbered Everyone knows that people with wheelchair devices must take a different route than most people and my signs ensure they are not left out. Not only do my signs post all exits, it immediately identifies in blue which exits are accessible and which are not. Some stations can have 3-4 elevators on one level, numbering them would help direct users to the correct ones. Once wheelchair users reach their "Elevator #", there will be more directional information on a panel outside the elevator. (E.g. M-Mezzanine Level: Transfer to Elevator 4 for street level.)
Example Below By looking at the exemplar below, you will immediately see and can choose between 2 exits ahead that are wheelchair accessible. If people get off the subway at Finch and have to get to the East Parking Lot, people without disabilities will simply have to follow and find the stairway that is marked H. People with wheelchair devices will have to follow and find Elevator 4. Simple!

At high traffic locations, such as platform level, mezzanines or exits, general station wayfinding could be tacked on the wall to help the truly confused:

As for pictograms - they should only be used if they are standard pictograms or a very understood pictogram. http://www.aiga.org/symbol-signs/ . (most notably, notice the stairs and escalator icon). Only the pictogram should be required, or possibly the text in very small font - 95% of people would no what it means and the rest could stop and read. I can barely see the pictogram on this example.

I get confused at some exists too. I like the letters and diagram - just make sure there is not a "Red" line with a letter less than G, or else people may go there to transfer to another line.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

For this, I agree that M is confusing. But if this hypothetical line is extended to STC, or Malvern - then half its length would not be on Eglinton.

This is the problem with our current naming system. Whever we extend a subway line, the name gets extended along with it. So when the York U extension opens in 2015, the YUS name will now be something like the "Yonge-University-Spadina-York Subway line"

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I prefer the compass from wilson_wu. For two directions, I would put a North facing compass, then "&" and then a south facing compass. Putting both on one compass would be confusing.

Hmm... I like the idea of putting &. The distinction is made very clear that way.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

I suggested this idea to Adam Giambrone at the time he was chair. He said he liked it but without funds, there was nothing he could do.

The problem with TTC signs:
-It mashes ALL RELEVENT INFORMATION into one sentence on the sign without any form of organization at all!
-It does not create a separate wayfinding signage system for separate elevator users.
-It uses far too many GIANT pictograms for anything and everything adding to the mishmash. Do we really need giant pictograms for anything and everything? The only things deserving of giant pictograms are core services being used mostly by everyone, such as train platforms and bus/streetcar terminals. Taxi Stands, Passenger Pickups, Parking Lots should still have pictograms but their sizes should be minimized and lumped in with general information for exits.
-IT HAS ALSO GRATED MY NERVES TO SEE STAIRS LABELLED "STAIRS" WITH AN ICON. Is this really necessary? It's always baffled my mind. I know the TTC wants to distinguish between stairs and escalators but my god it's so stupid to label stairs. The TTC should keep pictograms of escalators and eliminate pictograms of stairs. Lack of a stairs pictogram will indicate it is served by stairs (common sense considering they're everywhere lol!)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2203/1795748710_6ee2964830_o.jpg

Suggested signage.
Exits are lettered. With so much information at some stations, it needs to be organized into lettered exits. Once someone sees that "Passenger Pickup" is associated with "Exit F", they'll follow that letter "F" instead of constantly hunting for the words "Passenger Pickup" as they walk.
Elevators are numbered Everyone knows that people with wheelchair devices must take a different route than most people and my signs ensure they are not left out. Not only do my signs post all exits, it immediately identifies in blue which exits are accessible and which are not. Some stations can have 3-4 elevators on one level, numbering them would help direct users to the correct ones. Once wheelchair users reach their "Elevator #", there will be more directional information on a panel outside the elevator. (E.g. M-Mezzanine Level: Transfer to Elevator 4 for street level.)
Example Below By looking at the exemplar below, you will immediately see and can choose between 2 exits ahead that are wheelchair accessible. If people get off the subway at Finch and have to get to the East Parking Lot, people without disabilities will simply have to follow and find the stairway that is marked H. People with wheelchair devices will have to follow and find Elevator 4. Simple!

At high traffic locations, such as platform level, mezzanines or exits, general station wayfinding could be tacked on the wall to help the truly confused:

Do you mind if I add your numbering and lettering idea to my design? I think both of our ideas will be made better if we do that.

 

[M II A II R II K]

Maybe more interactive signs catered to individual inquirers would be better.

 

[EnviroTO]

I honestly don't know if you're trolling or if you're just plain ignorant.

I'm trying to figure out what goes through the mind of someone who messes up the design they are trying to convey with their signature due to a fear of plagiarism. The forum is filled with contributions far more elaborate without such extreme measures. I'm trying to understand the thought process. Many people have put up pictures, renderings, maps, etc. that they have created, far more elaborate than those sign mockups and I'm wondering if all of them were foolish to have not typed our their names into their contributions? If you were really concerned about giving due credit you didn't really go to much additional effort to give much in your first post... I would need to dig into the URL as you mentioned. It really provides no protection either because it is just a black background... take black paint and cover the stuff you don't want. I have seen a map I created reposted in many places... but I don't see why I should be concerned about it because I am not in a business to make transit maps.