Description
Wayfinding upgrades improve navigation for pedestrians and cyclists through clear, consistent signage that provides travel distances and enhances route visibility. Although this strategy cannot be quantified, it can act as a supportive strategy to improve all forms of active transportation. Implementing wayfinding on a regional scale could include providing consistently branded signage to direct people to bike facility access points, conducting signage audits along bicycle and pedestrian routes to assess visibility, and upgrading wayfinding infrastructure.
Implementation Details
- Conduct a signage audit to assess visibility, placement, and consistency.
- Work with a stakeholder group to develop regional and local route systems and identify key destinations.
- Upgrade wayfinding infrastructure and incorporate bilingual messaging and icons for key destinations (e.g., Rail and Ferry Stations, bus stops, parks, schools, city centers).
- Coordinate on various local and regional wayfinding programs to unify signage installations throughout Marin County directing people to key destinations.
- Prioritize installation of walking and biking time/distance markers at conflict points and decision nodes along corridors.
- Include wayfinding improvements in Project funding applications, bundling them with safety and connectivity upgrades for cost efficiency.
- Develop regional GIS asset management systems and display updated locations via a regional mobility dashboard.
Mitigation Potential
Wayfinding upgrades can encourage bicycling, walking, and transit ridership, however the impact is difficult to quantify as there is not a lot of research on this strategy. Some cities and grant funding agencies require counts or stated preference surveys to determine the impacts of wayfinding before and after installing wayfinding.
Linked Strategies
Equity Considerations
Implement signage in neighborhoods with high zero vehicle households. Ensure ADA-compliant and multilingual signs, especially in areas with non-English-speaking populations and aging residents.
Funding Sources
Funding varies depending on the extent of the wayfinding, the design (including sizing), and whether Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are incorporated, but typically wayfinding requires less funding than other capital projects. Funding sources include a mix of local, regional, state, federal, and private funds. Federal funding sources include Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A). State funding sources include the Statewide Active Transportation Plan (California Transportation Commission). Additional regional and local funding may come from county transportation sales tax measures and developer impact fees.
Implemented in Marin County
Current TDM Implementation
Marin County has developed designated bicycle routes and implemented signage across the county. SMART has developed a Pathway Wayfinding Plan that will include signage for the bicycle and pedestrian pathway that connects rail stations with the community. The Larkspur SMART and Ferry terminal is a pilot location for the Regional Mapping and Wayfinding Project, which is developing consistent wayfinding materials for major transit hubs throughout the Bay Area. There are also various site and community level improvements happening throughout the county
TDM Benefit Locations
Improved wayfinding for bicyclists and pedestrians will be beneficial on Marin County’s off-street pathways and along high-volume active transportation routes. Based on local bicycle and pedestrian plans, this TDM measure can advance safety and navigability for gaps in Countywide Transportation Plan Active Transportation Network.