In an ongoing effort to make the City of Leduc's roads more visitor and user friendly, next month a series of test road signs will be installed as part of the city's wayfinding strategy.
Leduc's Wayfinding Strategy project started in 2014. “Last year we had an open house where we shared three different concepts,” said Bart Pouteau, director of communications and information support.
“Now we're at the point where we actually want to start doing some testing,” he added.
Four signs will be placed around the city; eastbound on Black Gold Drive, southbound on Highway 2A, and two on 50th Avenue, one in each direction.
The test signs are taking into account much of the feedback that came out of the open house, including popular venues, sign font, location, and route speed limits. “Something that's effective on (Highway) 2A may not be effective on 50th Avenue,” said Pouteau.
Pouteau says testing the signs will be a hands on process. “Really it's quite visual. It's driving around and test driving them, no pun intended.”
To keep the costs of the project fairly low the test signs will be made out of a lower quality material, as they are only “temporary throwaways.”
“So if people are wondering why we're putting them on glorified plywood, that's why,” said Pouteau.
The test signs will total just over $1,000, which comes out of city council's capital budget.
Pouteau says the city is hoping to have the permanent signs constructed and in place by the 2016 Alberta Summer Games. “A lot of the destinations we're directing people to are Games venues.”