Toronto Wayfinding System Strategy Underway

In its thrust to create a "legible" city that will give residents and tourists the opportunity to confidently move around, the Toronto Wayfinding System Strategy was launched. With the first phase of the program already initiated in October last year, Wayfinding aims to decrease traffic congestion, enhance the functionality of city streets, define Torontos character, and encourage economic vibrancy and competitiveness. The City hopes that trips become easier for commuters as the system is designed to encompass transportation modes and electronic devices. This is especially timely as Toronto expects an influx of guests in the 2015 Pan-Am Games.

The strategy combines coordinated signs, apps, pocket maps, and urban design to conveniently direct people to where they are going. Signs will be placed in strategic areas, which include transit exits, intersections, pedestrian, and cyclist routes. The appropriate placement of subtle signals like lighting, landscaping, and public art will also help in pointing out directions and city attractions. There will also be signs that will indicate the length of walking time it would take to get to a nearby attraction. Apps on smartphones will not only give directions but other useful information on the destination as well.

The initial plan has been drafted and is in front of the public works committee in September and to the council after that. Once approved, the second phase will involve refining the design options and site testing. The two pilot testing sites for the Wayfinding System Strategy are Pan-Am Games venues. The first is in east downtown and the second is located around the Scarborough Campus of the University of Toronto.

For the project to be implemented across Toronto, the final phase is expected to cost $7.2 million. But with the city being a major tourism destination, investing in the strategy is bound to generate returns. Andrew Weir, vice president of communications for Tourism Toronto which helped develop Wayfinding, believes that the system can encourage tourists to "consume more of the destination." Knowledge of how to navigate the urban maze can make them more comfortable in spending more time and consequently, more dollars in the City. Toronto is fast becoming a destination for visitors from the United States, the United Kingdom and Chinese and Indian tourists as well, prompting the Wayfinding team to include the languages of these visitors when planning the signs.

The Wayfinding System Strategy is developed by the team of Steer Davies Gleave and DIALOG. They are working closely with a Steering Committee and group of Stakeholders that include City staff and representatives such as the TTC, Metrolinx, Tourism Toronto, Pan Am Games, The Association of Registered Graphic Designers of Ontario, and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas.