Ah, finally, new signage directing visitors and residents to national monuments and Downtown destinations is being installed on the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Last month, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that 500 new signs—orientation maps and directional and information markers—will replace existing signage through August in the program’s first phase. The $2.2 million project is designed to enrich the quality and comfort of the visitor experience through good wayfinding signage that augments and complements the District Department of Transportation’s (DDOT) blue signage program. NPS began developing a comprehensive signage project for the National Mall and Memorial Parks in 2008, and several entities, including the NPS; the National Capital Planning Commission (401 9th Street), NCPC; the Commission of Fine Arts (401 F Street), CFA; the DowntownDC BID; DDOT; the DC Office of Planning (OP); Cultural Tourism DC (1250 H Street); and other city BIDs have worked to make it a reality.
Both NPS and the Trust for the National Mall, a major source of private financing for Mall improvements, unveiled the first installation of the new wayfinding system outside the Smithsonian Metrorail station last month. The sign includes a map showing neighborhoods near the Mall, Downtown destinations and other Metrorail stations. The Trust, launched and chaired by Downtown property owner Chip Akridge, raised $1.1 million for the project, including a substantial contribution from Akridge (601 13th Street) . The federal government funded the other $1.1 million. Now, just as appropriate city wayfinding signs direct visitors to the National Mall, appropriate NPS wayfinding signs will direct visitors into the city. So, if Downtown appears to have more tourists ambling about, you’ll know why. And for the technologically savvy, the program also offers a smartphone application with wayfinding information for the iPhone and Android systems. Nice.
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