SEPTA Branding and Wayfinding Master Plan
The undertaking of the Master Plan presented a unique opportunity to change the perception of a frequent transit network from that of individual lines to a unified network.
Agency
Entro
Practice Area
Client
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
Industry
The Challenge
SEPTA had long understood that their signage and information was inconsistent and often difficult to understand. The wayfinding system and messaging needed to be more intuitive, accessible, and inclusive for riders of all abilities.
Project Vision
The undertaking of the Master Plan presented a unique opportunity to change the perception of a frequent transit network from that of individual lines, the Market-Frankford Line, the Broad Street Line, the Norristown High Speed Line, the City Trolleys (10, 11, 13, 34, 36), and the Suburban Trolleys (101, 102) to a unified network. To achieve this goal, all elements were analyzed and redefined: the overarching transit network name, all line names, station names, and the design of all supporting signage, maps, and communication materials. Community outreach was prioritized throughout the process and informed all solutions.
SEPTA’s existing signage is visually inconsistent and commonly lacks key information. The Master Plan amplifies a consistent visual vocabulary that represents an interconnected network and provides succinct, accessible information.
SEPTA
The SEPTA Metro consists of six lines and thirteen current service patterns. The redesigned maps aim to amplify the frequent transit network including transfers to the frequent bus network lines.
SEPTA
Design + Execution
Community outreach was prioritized throughout the process and informed all solutions. This effort included: station audits, meetings with stakeholder groups, external agencies, and advocacy groups, an online survey, a Tobii Pro eye-tracking study, and a 2-month Public Outreach Period conducted at completion of the Master Plan effort. Research findings provided the insight the team needed to create an inclusive and accessible transit experience aligned to the diverse ridership needs. All system elements were analyzed and redefined: the overarching transit network name, all line names, station names, and the design of all supporting signage, maps, and communication materials. In developing solutions, the team started with the brand and then extended their focus to the development of a clear visual vocabulary and information hierarchy. Previously referred to as the “Rail Transit Network,” we renamed the system “Metro”, with a corresponding system identifier that will unify the system and help riders easily recognize stations at street level. Each line will be identified by its own color (many carried over from the existing system for ease of recognition) and nomenclature which reflects the trunk and branch system, namely, a single letter with an additional number indicating the service pattern along the route (B1, B2, B3, etc.). By using both colors and letters, the wayfinding information can be understood by non-English speakers and people with color vision deficiency. A
The extensive community outreach effort began at the project outset and continued throughout. Outreach included meetings with external agencies, online survey, an eye-tracking study, and a 2-month public feedback period.
SEPTA
Existing: SEPTA’s information hierarchy is inconsistent with only some lines that are perceived as linked, and many confused with service patterns. Future: The Master Plan simplified the information hierarchy.
SEPTA
SEPTA Metro Branding and Wayfinding Master Plan recommendations/community outreach findings were compiled into a document and displayed on the planning.septa.org website, for continued public engagement and transparency.
SEPTA
The approximately 200-page document provides a comprehensive overview of the research and community outreach process, the resulting analysis and design solutions, and vision for the future SEPTA Metro.
SEPTA
The Master Plan effort was a critical investment in access for Greater Philadelphia and beyond. The Master Plan vision will impact the way people experience and understand the City.
SEPTA
Project Details
A comprehensive and important work that is a model of professionalism. The quality of the design process and documentation is exemplary.
A robust research process that brought people, organizations, and technology together to make informed decisions to simplify and clarify a complex transit system — it is not an easy undertaking and deserves recognition.
Works of this ilk are of vital importance to the professional community, because they raise its professional quality benchmarks.
Design Team
Entro:
Anna Crider (partner in charge)
Kevin Spencer (creative director)
Jessica Schrader (senior project manager)
Imke Hoefker (senior designer)
Cristina Kelly (brand strategy)
Vedran Dzebic (head of research)
SEPTA Leadership:
Leslie Richards (general manager/ceo)
Bill Webster (chief communications officer)
Jody Holton (chief planning officer)
Lex Powers (director of information design)
Chrystalle Cooper (director of metro rail operations)
SEPTA Working Group:
Alexander Zolotarev, Bill Webster, Brandon Miller, Carla Showell-Lee, Cheryl Jones, Cynthia Hayes, Elvira Mendez Crespo, Elizabeth Bradford, Jody Holton, John McElwee, John Rigby, Marianne McQuaid, Melissa Cooper, Ryan Judge, Victoria Lupica, Will Herzog
Collaborators
Jacobs (engineering firm)
Megan S. Ryerson, (Ph.D., UPS chair of transportation associate professor department of city and regional planning and department of electrical and systems engineering, University of Pennsylvania, eye tracking wayfinding study lead)
Camille Boggan, Bingchu Chen, Gil Lehmann, Carrie Long (eye tracking wayfinding study support)
McCormick Taylor (website design and programming)
Photo Credits
SEPTA
Open Date
September 2021