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Do New MTA Service Signs Make More Sense?
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Sep 11, 2010
Modified Sep 11, 2010
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Sep 11, 2010
Modified Sep 11, 2010
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All of your complaining over never being able to understand those service changes may have paid off, as next week the MTA will unveil new signs that will supposedly make it easier to understand just how fucked your commute is. Margaret Coffey, the marketing executive at New York City Transit, told the Times that the new signs are "basically big, bold headlines telling riders where they need to go." But just how clear are they?
In a side-by-side comparison, the Wall Street Journal shows that you may need to hunt for useful information just as much on the new signs, you'll just find it elsewhere. Gone are the explanations for why service is being changed (which, frankly, were pretty useless), and the new white color supposedly makes the information stand out more. But as Second Avenue Sagas says, "New Yorkers often are indifferent to signs and especially so to those in the subway. If straphangers won’t read the signs, no amount of design tweaking, visual cues or temporary maps will make one bit of difference." Also, it may be the specific changes displayed, but that new sign looks pretty wordy.
The signs will also be posted in display cases that riders will hopefully see before they swipe their MetroCards, and on some station platforms. One rider said he liked the new design, saying, "At first glance, it looks like it would be helpful." So, are the new signs a big improvement, or will you be too angry at the near-constant track work to even give the MTA a thank you?
Tagged
MTA
nyc transit
service changes
service signs
subway
Jaya Saxena
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