Finding Your Way

So in terms of wayfinding, what could be more perfect than traffic signs? Seeing as America was made for driving, I have spent many a silent moment gazing out a car window pondering the origins of highway signs. Why are directional signs on highways white and green? Why do construction zones hog up all of the orange, and why are Yield and Stop signs both red? And exactly who thought black and white was a good idea for signs that have important information like... Wrong Way? [You would think that earned a nice bright juicy color like red or orange. It's a pretty big deal.] Interstingly enough, traffic signs were not really an issue until the invention of... you guessed it, automobiles!That does however beg the question why didn't they have anything more than markings for railroads, mile markers, and town names?

The official history of traffic signs and signals began in the early 1900's in America. This was due to the advent of the automobile and the danger it posed to the public with higher amounts of automotive traffic. [Thank you industry, and progress.] The first centerline painted on the road appeared in Michigan in 1911. The first redcorded stop sign was in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It had black letters on a white background. By 1922, the sign was used so often that it became clear that rules, regulations, and order needed to be set. For example, the first traffic light was actually in London. It was traffic signal using colored lights installed in December of 1868 at the intersection of George and Bridge Streets near the Houses of Parliament to protect members of parliament and pedestrians in the heavily trafficed area. The result was that by the 1930's over 10 versions of traffic lights and towers. Some required electricity, worked on timers, or had to be manually operated.

In 1924, the first National Conference on Street and Highway Safety (NCSHS) was held. They debated and decided on color coding as well as shape design of signs. Originally, yellow was chosen for Stop signs for daya nd night visibilty [this was before fade resistant red paints and glass-bead retroreflectorization had been invented]. Shapes and colors were given a hierarchy beased on the danger value of the information being displayed.
Circle: railroad crossing [and also the most dangerous at the time]
Octagon: the need for stopping at intersections
Diamonds: ordinary conditions that may present danger
Recatangles: regulatory and direcitonal information

What resulted was the Manual for Uniformity of Traffic Control Devices [MUTCD]. Requirements and regulations evolved with the needs of each era in America. In 1942, regulations were mandated for blackout ready signs in case of wartime blackouts. In 1948, corrections and ammendments to the MUTCD addressed better organization to obtained during peacetime. By 1954, the Stop sign was officially changed to red with white letters. [It had been changed to yellow with red letters in 1935.] Also regulations began to focus on guide sign s and directions... not just danger warnings. The MUTCD has continued to change and develop based on current and future needs of traffic and the safety of the public. Essentially it is a constantly evolving wayfinding system.

In terms of design, the MUTCD orginally focused on shape and color. The theory was that people would recognize shape and color while ignoring wordings. In 1948, they became more corncerned with readability and instituted a rounded letter alphabet. Sign content was reduced. For example, Wrong Way signs used to say "Stop. You are going the wrong way." It's no wonder that people would ignore wording. Driving requires multi-tasking perceiving and using different pieces of information simultaneously. So content has to be minimal and straight forward for a driver.
In 1971, the MUTCD went under a complete rewrite. It included concrete definitions on "should" "may", and "shall." It also included school area markings and ground markings such as centerlines, words in lanes, and painted curbs. In general, the MUTCD has stood behind it's shape and color theory allowing states a bit of room to add their own shapes and colorings for specific information relating only to that state. Background colors have been set to a specific set of 6 pantone colors. Flourescent signs have no set pantone color.
Brown - 469 [recreational information]
Red - 187 [stop, yield, highly important restrictions]
Yellow - 116 [warnings, cautionary]
Green - 342 [guide, directional information]
Blue - 294 [interstate name/information]
Orange - 152 [construction]
Black and white signs are reserved for basic traffic information such as one way streets, and lane directions.

It seems like such a simple system. Red means stop, green means go, follow the arrows, etc. But for something so mainplace it is a meticullously designed system and highly critical to every day life. It's so easy to miss it because it's just about everywhere, but it is easily the one wayfinding system that absolutely affects every person's life whether they use it or not. Content is minimized and the typeface is designed for maximum readability of capital letters. Colors and basic geometric shapes have clear, consistent, and definite meanings. Traffic signals and signs inform, guide, direct, and protect. This system must be applauded for its ability to simplyify such an intricate and complicated system as the traffic of millions in one area.

By the way, the green and white highway signs in America were adopted into the MUTCD in 1954. Now I know. :)