WAYFINDING
what is wayfinding?
A successful wayfinding program provides clear and consistent information located where and when people need it. Wayfinding components comprise a variety of physical and digital elements, including maps and signs, which are designed to be easily identifiable, maintained, and updated. Wayfinding provides people with trustworthy information and encourages exploration, discovery, and repeat visits.
why is wayfinding needed in TOD neighborhoods?
TOD is about creating a more sustainable future for Oahu by increasing the number of people who live, work, and visit within a short walk of transit. TOD neighborhoods reduce the dependency on single-occupancy vehicles and improve the efficiency of government services and infrastructure. The benefits of a successful wayfinding program align with the overall goals of TOD.
Wayfinding creates a seamless experience between all transportation modes, making it easy and desirable for people to walk, bike, and/or use public transit. By encouraging walking as a mode choice, it empowers residents to explore neighborhoods, contributing to their vitality. Walking also leads to improved public health and reduces vehicular congestion and air pollution. In addition, wayfinding can boost local economies by increasing foot traffic in front of businesses, or by guiding people to particular businesses through digital map promotions.
what is the TOD Wayfinding Master Plan?
The TOD Wayfinding Master Plan describes the wayfinding system, including a coordinated roll-out of static and digital tools, which are tailored to support multi-modal journeys to and within the TOD neighborhoods. This plan is a multi-phase project, comprised of the Phase 1 Planning and the Phase 2 Design and Documentation reports.
The Phase 1 report includes system analysis and strategy development to promote seamless, multi-modal connections for transit-users, while encouraging exploration, discovery, and repeat visitation that are critical to the success of neighborhood ecosystems. The Phase 2 report includes more detailed design and planning of signage (focusing on the vehicular and pedestrian static sign components), and delivery of complete packages for the City’s use in procurement of the proposed strategic roll-out.
how is the wayfinding system implemented?
Design intent documentation packages from the master planning support “First Roll-Out” projects in targeted areas. These projects will provide orientation within the immediate area outside of the first nine rail stations scheduled for service, and more extensive pedestrian support within five of the more destination-heavy TOD neighborhoods. The completed packages include design documentation and sign location plans with messaging for pedestrian and vehicular signage, as well as neighborhood base map artwork and design guidelines. Based on these items, rough order of magnitude budgetary pricing was also developed for reference and implementation planning purposes.
Ideally, the wayfinding system would be expanded from the public realm by linking into pedestrian networks created by private developers and destinations. For this to be a seamless user experience, these entities would be required to utilize standards set by the City’s system. In exchange, design materials can be provided to support such initiatives.
RELATED DOCUMENTS
Full document links are bolded and include date at the end.
TOD Wayfinding Master Plan: Phase 2 Design and Documentation – December 2021
Form, Color, Materials, and Graphic Design
Section 2: Information Hierarchy
Content Structure and Priority
Section 3: Pedestrian Sign Types and Location Planning
Information Node, Map Panels, Pedestrian Directional
Section 4: Vehicular Sign Type and Location Planning
Section 5: Map Design Standards
Section 6: Nomenclature Destination Inclusion
TOD Wayfinding Master Plan: Phase 1 Planning – July 2019
Why Wayfinding?
The Wayfinding Master Plan
Section 2: Wayfinding Analysis
Navigating Neighborhoods
Review of Existing Digital Tools
Wayfinding Strategy
Coordination Considerations
Section 3: System Requirements
Wayfinding Principles
The 360 degree Toolkit
Static System Tools
Nomenclature and Hierarchy
Criteria for Destination Inclusion
Section 4: Digital Requirements
Centralized Data Management
Digital System Tools
Section 5: Implementation Guidelines
Strategic Roll-out
Wayfinding Project Management
Funding and System Maintenance
Pre-Rail Journey
Early Build Journey
Full Build Journey
Conceptual Wayfinding Strategy – November 2015
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
A: Private developers and other parties interested in providing their own wayfinding are encouraged to utilize the City’s wayfinding designs to allow for a seamless user experience. For example, existing neighborhood base maps can be customized to provide use-specific content layers with the same look and feel as the City’s wayfinding system. This way, visitors can quickly understand and find each neighborhood’s unique offerings. However, the use of these materials necessitates a user agreement to ensure compatibility with the City’s system. Please contact us for more information.
A: Visit Honolulu’s Chinatown neighborhood to see a pilot version of the on-street pedestrian wayfinding signage. Expansion of sign installations is anticipated to occur in tandem with rail station openings, as funding allows.
A: Physical wayfinding signage on public property will not allow any visual sponsorship elements. However, private properties may incorporate their own wayfinding that could include commercial advertising opportunities when in compliance with the City’s Land Use Ordinance. In addition, some digital wayfinding components, such as a mobile application, may allow for certain advertisements and sponsorships.
A: During the process of developing the Wayfinding Master Plan, criteria were developed to narrow down the number of possible destinations in each TOD neighborhood. Selection criteria are broken down by destination type: civic, cultural, recreational, commercial, community, services, and transportation. See the Wayfinding Master Plan for further information.
A: It is likely that HART will provide digital train schedule updates within each rail station, which will be separate from, but complementary to, the wayfinding system. However, trains are anticipated to run frequently, every 5 to 11 minutes, depending on peak times. Real-time bus and rail tracking will also be available on the mobile application.
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