[max]

It was looking at renderings of the Line 2 extension, and noticed they use Metrolinx wayfinding since it's a Metrolinx project. Does that mean on a single line you'd have two different wayfinding standards? Not the end of the world, but a bit jarring.

I realize there's a wayfinding harmonization project going on, but does that mean Metrolinx wayfinding eventually replaces all other standards?

If Metrolinx wants to pay to replace it all, then maybe it gets done. However, I expect eventually some politician will see that line item as an efficiency that can be deleted.

 

[bearcat]

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1jhudap/so_can_we_agree_that_terminal_destination_signs

Is this a new design? Thoughts? Looks amateurish.

Edit: actually from the comments looks like someone (perhaps a rider) added Westbound stickers

 

[Kyle Campbell]

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1jhudap/so_can_we_agree_that_terminal_destination_signs

Is this a new design? Thoughts? Looks amateurish.

Edit: actually from the comments looks like someone (perhaps a rider) added Westbound stickers

I can sort of understand the frustration with only using terminus, it's a bit more difficult for new riders and tourists.

There's only two systems outside the GTA (AFAIK) in Canada that regularly include a direction with their wayfinding and not just terminus, the O-Train and the C-Train


Ottawa always includes the direction, and usually which way is towards downtown

The C-Train uses inbound and outbound, and only uses terminus on the outbound, and "city centre" as the inbound destination. I like this system it makes it clear which way the user should be heading

 

[PL1]

The C-Train uses inbound and outbound, and only uses terminus on the outbound, and "city centre" as the inbound destination. I like this system it makes it clear which way the user should be heading

I hate "inbound/outbound" as a tourist when I visit cities like e.g. Boston that use it. It's not apparent which direction it is going. Terminal plus direction would be useful, I think

 

[Kyle Campbell]

I hate "inbound/outbound" as a tourist when I visit cities like e.g. Boston that use it. It's not apparent which direction it is going. Terminal plus direction would be useful, I think

Well, yes outbound and inbound without a destination like the MBTA is not helpful, but Calgary does include a destination on theirs.

E.g. if you used Calgary's system in Toronto at Bloor, you'd have "Inbound to Union" or "Outbound to Finch" as the directions on the sign. "Northbound to Finch" and "Southbound to Vaughan" would seem confusing, which is terminal+cardinal

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I can sort of understand the frustration with only using terminus, it's a bit more difficult for new riders and tourists.

There's only two systems outside the GTA (AFAIK) in Canada that regularly include a direction with their wayfinding and not just terminus, the O-Train and the C-Train

Ottawa always includes the direction, and usually which way is towards downtown

The C-Train uses inbound and outbound, and only uses terminus on the outbound, and "city centre" as the inbound destination. I like this system it makes it clear which way the user should be heading

The problem is *especially* bad with YUS - but there is almost no good way to do it. Using the terminus is accurate, but irrelevant (and confusing) in most cases; using direction is problematical because of the U and using Union as a reasonable compromise suffer from the same problem as well.

AoD

 

[Mihairokov]

I think i'm fine with YUS using "Finch via Union" or "Vaughan via Union", it's a pretty quick indicator to me which way I want to go or not. For a tourist or someone visiting it's not intuitive, though.

For L2 it's only really confusing because both terminus stations begin with K, to the extent where I have to mentally remind myself which one i'm supposed to be going towards if I board in the middle. I think adding a direction would be helpful at busier stations as long as the signs don't get too muddled like the Ottawa ones do.

 

[bearcat]

I think i'm fine with YUS using "Finch via Union" or "Vaughan via Union", it's a pretty quick indicator to me which way I want to go or not. For a tourist or someone visiting it's not intuitive, though.

For L2 it's only really confusing because both terminus stations begin with K, to the extent where I have to mentally remind myself which one i'm supposed to be going towards if I board in the middle. I think adding a direction would be helpful at busier stations as long as the signs don't get too muddled like the Ottawa ones do.

Yes, as ridiculous as it sounds, the fact that both terminals begin with a K is actually a problem, especially when you don't use the line frequently. Rushing for a train I have made that mistake at least once.

Soon with the extension into Scarborough this will be solved.

 

[T3G]

https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/1jhudap/so_can_we_agree_that_terminal_destination_signs

Is this a new design? Thoughts? Looks amateurish.

Edit: actually from the comments looks like someone (perhaps a rider) added Westbound stickers

Word to the wise: just like with Twitter and Facebook embeds, it would be beneficial to add a screenshot of the content you are sharing.

I have an ad and script blocker on Firefox and the result is that I had to use inspect element to open your comment code and find the URL of what you were sharing, otherwise it looks like:

To that end, I'm bringing the image forth for those in the same boat:

This is not the first sign I have seen "vandalized" with cardinal directions. Clearly what we have here is a design instituted by someone who has no idea about rider behaviour or preferences, improved by the wayfinding equivalent of a desire path. I am one of those people who uses cardinal directions to orient myself and I have no idea what they were thinking with this change.

 

[Steve X]

The C-Train uses inbound and outbound, and only uses terminus on the outbound, and "city centre" as the inbound destination. I like this system it makes it clear which way the user should be heading

The C-Trains share a common section downtown so they can’t just post that on the wall of every station. Of course this picture is not part of that shared section and they could have done it. However the lines don’t travel west to east exactly. Saddletowne is in the north east while this station is on the west side.
I’m not sure if they still make announcements like “trains to Saddletowne is suspended due to a snow blockage” cause that’s not very tourist friendly. You have 4 possible directions on the shared section.

 

[Kyle Campbell]

The C-Trains share a common section downtown so they can’t just post that on the wall of every station. Of course this picture is not part of that shared section and they could have done it. However the lines don’t travel west to east exactly. Saddletowne is in the north east while this station is on the west side.
I’m not sure if they still make announcements like “trains to Saddletowne is suspended due to a snow blockage” cause that’s not very tourist friendly. You have 4 possible directions on the shared section.

Well, downtown they just have eastbound or westbound train, depending on which way it's traveling on 7th Street.

But in general, I think two pieces of info is more useful than just the terminus (or worse yet, just the direction)

I don't think the Ottawa signs are muddled as another poster mentioned but it's obvious wayfinding is a hard problem. Too much info and its hard to read at a glance, too little and it's hard to tell where you're going. I'm not sure anybody really has found the perfect Goldilocks zone for that

 

[Dan416]

Is it that much to ask for to have signs say "Westbound to Kipling" and "Eastbound to Kennedy"? I don't think that's too much of a mouthful. Of course Line 1 is a bigger problem because it's convoluted no matter way with the U-shape. To this day I have a touch time with the terminuses of Finch or Vaughan. I really rely on the "via Union" part.

 

[Kyle Campbell]

Is it that much to ask for to have signs say "Westbound to Kipling" and "Eastbound to Kennedy"? I don't think that's too much of a mouthful. Of course Line 1 is a bigger problem because it's convoluted no matter way with the U-shape. To this day I have a touch time with the terminuses of Finch or Vaughan. I really rely on the "via Union" part.

At least there's the Via Union. I find the also u shaped Orange line in Montreal worse. I often forget which end is Côte Vertu, and which end is Montmorency. I always have to look at the network map before getting on

 

[nfitz]

At least there's the Via Union. I find the also u shaped Orange line in Montreal worse. I often forget which end is Côte Vertu, and which end is Montmorency. I always have to look at the network map before getting on

I do like the Montreal system - though one problem is they keep changing the terminals. In my mind it's still du College and Henri-Bourassa. And then there's the renaming of stations ...

I have to confess, after all these years, and despite using both Kipling and Kennedy, I often reverse them when speaking and writing. But I guess Sheppard East will solve that.

 

[T3G]

I have to confess, after all these years, and despite using both Kipling and Kennedy, I often reverse them when speaking and writing.

I don't really have this problem if I'm allowed to stop and think, but I've often found myself using one of the center platform stations (I want to say St. George, but I didn't stop to take notes) that had the signage upgraded. When I'm thinking of where I'm going, I picture a mental map in my head of the city of the approximate location, and what direction I have to travel in, and when a train is arriving, I don't have the time to stop and think "wait.. Kennedy or Kipling?", and when you only have a couple of seconds to decide whether you're getting on the train or not, that matters.