Planning nerd alert!

Can you recognize which municipality (old or new) these street signs originate? Some are easy for obvious reasons. Answers are below.

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Matthew Blackett of Spacing recently wrote about the form and function of Toronto’s new street signs, and it’s time for me to contribute my few cents on them.

I’m sure many of you have already become very accustomed to seeing our new street signs which have been slowly installed in streets across the city in the past years.

Allow me to define a few terms before I begin: ‘Signal-level’ street signs are the new blue background street signs affixed adjacent to traffic signals (Sign #15), while ‘pedestrian-level’ street signs are the smaller blue or white background street signs (Signs #2 and #8).

Let’s begin with the signal-level street signs. I really do like these signs. I think that the font is clear, legible yet stylish— I later learned that the font is called ClearviewHwy. I do appreciate how the signs are in upper- and lower-case and that the the street type is displayed in superscript and consistently abbreviated.

York Region and Mississauga have implemented a similar signal-level signs program, however they definitely did not execute it as well as Toronto. In the case of York Region, an all-caps Arial Narrow type font was used (disgusting!). Also, there are no consistency in the the street type format— some are spelt out, some are abbreviated, some our superscripted, some are not. It’s so frustrating having to see one of those signs. Argh!

Mississauga is not any better when it comes to the large street signs. Although it maintains a uppercase/lowercase format, the text is stretched/compressed so as to fit the entire width of the sign— this makes it extremely hard to read, especially when you may have a two street signs one on top of each other indicating the different names on either sides of the street.

Perhaps I will post some pictures of York and Mississauga’s street signs, when I get my hands on some.

Let’s return to Toronto and talk about the pedestrian-level signs. Here I agree with Matthew Blackett’s exerpt that the new signs look like “cheap knockoffs […], which are bereft of any kind of sophistication.” In the former City of Toronto, streets were blessed with the older “3D” embossed signs— and it really reflected this quality old craftsmanship. The new signs inherited similar elements like the peaktop in the middle but I hate the fact that it is completely flat— thus making them look cheaply made. It’s like Toronto bought a fake LV bag and placed it on every corner. If there was no intention to make them “3D” and embossed, then perhaps the City could’ve just started a completely new design— I think that I would’ve accepted it better.

I also find the new pedestrial-level signs uncomfortably large. Nevertheless, I can accept this as being a progressive step towards better accessibility.

But what I find most disappointing is the continuing homogenization of the former municipalities of Metro Toronto. Sure you can say that the suburban parts of Toronto were “homogenized” from their suburban-ness, but it just seems like there are ever-decreasing indications that the former muncipalities of Toronto, like Scarborough, was once its own city. I feel that street signs can provide strong build a sense of community character— and therefore, if I had any power in decision-making in Toronto, I would incorporate elements related to the former municipalities into the design.

In the meantime, take a picture of your home street signs— before they disappear over time.

Answers:
1. Kingsview Blvd - City of Etobicoke
2. Cambridge Av - City of Toronto (New Design)
3. Sesame St - City of Scaborough
4. Logan Av & Floyd Av - Borough of East York
5. Nealon Av - Borough of East York (without logo)
6. College St - Former City of Toronto
7. Strawberry Hills Dr - City of Scaborough
8. Torrens Av - Borough of East York
9. Jane St & Finch Av - City of North York
10. Abtibes Dr & Drewry Av - City of Toronto (New Design)
11. Torrens Av - Borough of East York
12. Nassau St & Bellevue Av - Former City of Toronto
13. Mike Myers Dr - City of Scaborough
14. Goldfinch Ct & Finch Av - City of North York
15. Shuter St - City of Toronto (New Design)

PS: Does anyone have a picture of those imfamous yellow lit downtown street signs that were widespread in the early 90’s? Those were just awful, but I’d love a picture for memorabilia’s sake.

Toronto Street Signs - [spacing.ca]
Search: Toronto Street Signs - [flickr.com]
New Toronto Street Signs, Revisited - [andrewspicer.com]