USA: Philadelphia transport operator SEPTA has begun rolling out wayfinding improvements, which CEO & General Manager Leslie S Richards said ‘will make the system easier to navigate for all passengers, regardless of language, ability, or familiarity with public transportation’ as part of preparations for the city hosting the World Cup in 2026.
The programne includes:
- Metro branding signifying a ‘frequent, affordable, around-the-clock rail service’, using a ‘globally recognised’ term that translates well across languages including Spanish and Chinese, the second and third most spoken in the region;
- easy to see and read colours, letters and numbers for each SEPTA Metro line, designed to improve visibility and clarity;
- maps and signs that show bus connections and highlight the most frequent routes;
- new station entrance and exit signage to make the network easier to find;
- neighbourhood maps to help riders get oriented when leaving a station.
- changing station names to eliminate duplicates, such as Girard (Broad-Girard) on the Broad Street Line and Girard (Front-Girard) on the Market-Frankford Line, and merging complexes such as 15th St/City Hall instead of having separate names 15th St and City Hall.
‘We have spent four years conducting research, collecting feedback, engaging with the public, and running temporary pilots to create a wayfinding system that caters to the needs of current and potential riders’, said SEPTA’s Director of Service Information Design Lex Powers on April 24. ‘We appreciate the enthusiasm and contributions of our customers throughout the planning and research process.’
