TTC Cartography, Signage, and Wayfinding

[APTA-2048]

I dream of a day when the TTC outdoes them on something.

Seamless connection between modes. (Soon-to-be) fully air conditioned fleet. Two things I'm greatful for when I come back from a stay in Montreal.

 

[DavidH]

If you're not familiar with the area, even if you know the layout of the city, it can be hard to know which way is which. Therefore I agree with showing which direction is going to the subway.

Agreed. A subway logo next to each route that goes to the subway would be helpful. Unfortunately, the TTC doesn't have a single clear logo to identify rapid transit routes (the TTC symbol with "subway" on the bar doesn't really count as being clear for this purpose).

In addition, the stop itself should have a direction labelled. Westbound, Northbound, etc. I don't think each route destination is needed, but it would be helpful to be able to tell at a glance which stop is which direction.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

QR code is a nice idea for additional info - but keep in mind that a lot of users don't have a smartphone (or simply aren't savvy enough to figure out the jump between the QR code to the embedded info). Putting one by itself without at the very least the most important route info would be an utter failure.

AoD

 

[rbt]

QR code is a nice idea for additional info - but keep in mind that a lot of users don't have a smartphone (or simply aren't savvy enough to figure out the jump between the QR code to the embedded info). Putting one by itself without at the very least the most important route info would be an utter failure.

If you have a smart phone then there is no need for a QR code. GPS is enough to figure out what stop you are at if your at a surface stop. If your at an underground/indoor station then the cell phones data connection isn't reliable enough for essential information.

Any random person could implement this type of stop information enhancement in an app today.


With next generation phones implementing both GPS and GLONASS support, getting an accurate position won't take any longer than taking a picture of the QR code.

 

[to_l]

Just an idea for an update.

 

[M II A II R II K]

TTC says the days of subway names are numbered

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/05/ttc_says_the_days_of_subway_names_are_numbered.html

.....

- The subway lines will be numbered according to the order in which they were built. The YUS would be 1; the Bloor-Danforth, 2; the Scarborough RT, 3; and Sheppard would be 4. The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT, which is supposed to open in 2020, would be 5, and new light rail lines on Finch West and Sheppard East would be added on as they go into service. The numbers, displayed as simple, graphic numerals in coloured circles that correspond to the TTC’s subway maps, can also be easily incorporated into mobile apps.

- The preliminary plan will be rolled out at the Toronto Transit Commission’s public Oct. 23 meeting. It will then be tested at a yet-to-be-determined interchange station later this year or early next. It would then go back to the TTC board for approval and the changes would have to be incorporated into the budget. “It won’t be inexpensive, and we’ll have some dollar figures to share at that time,” said Ross.

- One side-benefit of the new numbering system will be that it gets around the thorny problem of what to call the city’s dream subway, long known as the downtown relief line. Transit planners say another subway is a necessity to relieve crowding on the Yonge line. But lately the “downtown” has been dropped from its name for political reasons.

.....

 

[Fred.S]

I think it's about time this happened, the number and colour would be good identifiers, and would help avoid so much of the political issues around subways and LRTs, and what their line names are. When we want to build a new line, the working name could simply be "Line 6" or whatever, we could chose a sensible route, and then figure out the technology, whether it be subway, LRT, BRT whatever.

I would hope though that they add a letter as well, such as M1, M2, M3 etc (M being for metro). That way they could distinguish from GO lines, that would use a different letter and number, and maybe streetcars, or other rapid transit lines in the GTA.

 

[nfitz]

TTC says the days of subway names are numbered

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/05/ttc_says_the_days_of_subway_names_are_numbered.html

These are the same line numbers they've been using for years.

I don't see any point numbering the SRT line 3 in new signage at this point, with it's future short. We'll end up like Montreal with no line 3. Might as well number Sheppard 3, save 4 for the DRL, and then 5 for Eglinton. Though I suppose one could re-use 3 for the DRL.

I guess the 5 Avenue Road bus and 6 Bay bus days are numbered.

They tested signage based on this 20 years or so ago (seems like 20 years at least ... it's still there):

 

[Johnny Au]

Old news.

Those numbers are known to TTC employees and TTC fans for years, and now they are being known to the public. At least when the Spadina extension to Vaughan is complete, there would not be such a cumbersome name. It would also get rid of the controversy over the name of the DRL.

5 Avenue Rd. and 6 Bay can be renumbered.

I wonder who is the necromancer who brought Paul Arthur back to life. If they want to test the new numbering system, they can do it on St. George station, as it had been done two decades ago.

 

[Northern Light]

Old news.

Those numbers are known to TTC employees and TTC fans for years, and now they are being known to the public. At least when the Spadina extension to Vaughan is complete, there would not be such a cumbersome name. It would also get rid of the controversy over the name of the DRL.

5 Avenue Rd. and 6 Bay can be renumbered.

I wonder who is the necromancer who brought Paul Arthur back to life. If they want to test the new numbering system, they can do it on St. George station, as it had been done two decades ago.

Not a fan of going w/numbers.

I understand the appeal, particularly in removing a politically volatile name in the 'DRL' and in fitting line names on maps.

But I've always felt the obsession w/numbering everything was very American, very utilitarian.

They number public schools "PS 1" "PS 2" etc. They number streets ' 5th Avenue" , and even congressional districts, 'he's from the 4th district'.

I like that we have Nelson Mandela Public School; Yonge Street, and the riding of St. Pauls; so much more colourful.

I'd prefer to keep the names.

I hasten to add I never did like the signage makeover for St. George, in particular the attempt to make the 'line colour' the trim colour on the tiles; that makes for a very garish way to decorate.

 

[DavidH]

Old news.
Those numbers are known to TTC employees and TTC fans for years, and now they are being known to the public. At least when the Spadina extension to Vaughan is complete, there would not be such a cumbersome name. It would also get rid of the controversy over the name of the DRL.

Not old news. The story here isn't the assignment of the numbers - as you said, this was done years ago. The news is the creation of a wayfinding system based on numbers instead of long names.

And yes, the 20 year old trial at St. George existed, but since that didn't get past a test phase (and then never got removed from half the station), it scarcely counts.

 

[Molybdenum]

A preliminary version of the new wayfinding standards were presented to the TTC's ACAT committee back in May:

http://ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/ACAT_Re...g_and_reports/2013/April_25_Meeting_264.jsp#8

Lots of interesting details about how the signage may look like. It sounds like they will phase in the numbers by including them alongside the existing line names for some time.

 

[W. K. Lis]

How about using letters instead of numbers for any and all rapid transit lines?

A Yonge-University-Spadina subway
B Bloor-Danforth subway
C Sheppard subway
D Eglinton Crosstown LRT
E Finch West LRT
F Sheppard East LRT
G Relief Line
H Jane LRT
I Don Mills LRT
J Waterfront West LRT
etc.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

How about using letters instead of numbers for any and all rapid transit lines?

A Yonge-University-Spadina subway
B Bloor-Danforth subway
C Sheppard subway
D Eglinton Crosstown LRT
E Finch West LRT
F Sheppard East LRT
G Relief Line
H Jane LRT
I Don Mills LRT
J Waterfront West LRT
etc.

 

[yrt+viva=1system]

These look good!

I don't really have a preference with letters or numbers. But it would be nice if the TTC used their subway font. If it's not too much of a hassle to ask, would you be able to make the same signs with the TTC subway font?