Medford Wayfinding

WHAT IS WAYFINDING?

Wayfinding refers to how we orient ourselves in the physical environment and navigate from place to place. Often, we rely on cues in the built environment to guide us to or between destinations. Where these cues are efficient and people intuitively move through space, a place is considered legible. Legible places benefit from consistent and predictable environmental cues like landscaping, path design, and directional signage.

Our wayfinding plan will improve the City of Medford’s legibility by using consistently branded directional signage and orientation maps, promoting active transportation. Together, consistent branding and wayfinding will promote vibrancy by highlighting community assets to support tourism and economic development. Our wayfinding system will accommodate residents and visitors of all ages and abilities in their exploration of the city with multi-modal directional signage and pedestrian kiosks. 

WAYFINDING DESIGNS

Medford wayfinding sign designs

    The Medford (PDF, 17MB)Wayfinding Plan(PDF, 17MB)  received City Council Vision Funds in 2022 that will support development of the first phase of signage. The focus of Phase 1 is to provide directional signage at key decision points, directing people to major destinations; installing a pedestrian wayfinding system throughout Downtown Medford; and creating bicycle signage connecting people to and from the Bear Creek Greenway and Downtown Medford. Additional phases will focus on sign consolidation and removal, expanding the bicycle wayfinding system, and managing our overall wayfinding system in the years to come. 

    BICYCLE WAYFINDING SURVEY

    Please take this 10 minute survey to provide feedback on what you consider key destinations for bicyclists in the City of Medford.. You can take the survey by hovering your phone camera over the QR code, or pasting the direct link into any browser:  https://arcg.is/1XW4yq

    Bicycle-Wayfinding-Survey.png

    If you would like to submit comments but are unable to access the survey for any reason, please call or email the Medford Planning Department at: (541) 774-2386 or email Planning@cityofmedford.org

     

    WAYFINDING DEFINITIONS

    • DECISION POINT: A point in space and time where different paths converge and the traveler must determine which path to take.
    • DESTINATION: A cultural attraction, like a historic site, park, or other place for gathering.
    • DISTRICT: A section of a city recognized as having some common identifying character or use. 
    • GATEAWAY: An entry way to downtown or other district of significance. 
    • LANDMARK: A point-reference that may help inform wayfinding, such as a building, sign or natural feature. 
    • PATH: Channels along which the observer moves. A path may be a street, walkway, transit line, or any other infrastructure.
    • WAYFINDING SYSTEM: For our purposes, this refers to the differing paths and signage designed for users: bicyclists, pedestrians, and automobiles. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    graphic showing wayfinding principles

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