SEPTA awards wayfinding contract to Nova Industries
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) Board of Directors approved the advancement of the SEPTA Metro Wayfinding program. The approval allows SEPTA to move forward with a construction contract for Nova Industries LLC to design, fabricate and install new signage and wayfinding for 27 stations on the Broad Street Line [B] and in Center City.
Phase 1 of a multi-phase project includes the station overhauls and will begin later this year and continue into 2025. Phase 2, which includes the remainder of the Market-Frankford Line [L] and Subway-Surface Trolleys [T] will begin in 2025.
“The overarching goal of this project is to make the system easy to understand and navigate for everyone who uses it,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “We’re unifying our subway, elevated and trolley lines into a single, easy-to-use network that makes SEPTA accessible and welcoming to all.”
The SEPTA Metro improvements include:
- Easy to see and read colors, letters and numbers for each SEPTA Metro line. This will improve visibility, clarity and accessibility for all.
- New maps and signs that show bus connections and highlight SEPTA’s most frequent bus lines, along with the entire Trolley network.
- New station entrance signage and illuminated pylons to make stations easier to find.
- New “neighborhood maps” and exit signage to help riders get find their destinations
- Adjusting 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 two separate station names: “15th St” and “City Hall”
A preview of new SEPTA Metro signage debuted in April as part of the opening for the new Drexel Station at 30th St. SEPTA notes that station will continue to feature new maps and wayfinding as the project progresses.
This project is also coordinated with modernization efforts for SEPTA’s website, mobile app and data feeds to enhance digital wayfinding tools. Planned improvements include releasing more real-time information, working to significantly reduce “ghost buses” and piloting new, easier-to-read bus detour signage to align with the larger wayfinding improvements.
