West Hartford Wayfinding Signage Project

Wayfinding Signage Plan Development Background

The Town of West Hartford is in development of a signage and wayfinding system that will present a consistent image and unify branding throughout the Town.  

In 2020, the Town Council adopted the 2020-2030 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Within the POCD under the Economic Development section, recommendations included the encouraging public infrastructure improvements that support and stimulate private investment and redevelopment in the Town. One of the action items to achieve this includes a Town-wide wayfinding study to encourage connectivity within and to the Town’s distinctive commercial districts. Coupled with the desire to direct residents and visitors to: arts and culture; institutional, municipal and religious properties; historic monuments; and parks, the Town is looking for a proposal to achieve cohesive branding throughout.

The development of a comprehensive signage program will help to more easily direct residents, employees, and visitors to their destination. Currently, visitors are given a few visual clues offering information about the area; however, much of the existing signage is inconsistent or outdated.

Project Goals

• To create a consistent signage and wayfinding system across a range of signage media.
• To create multimodal guidelines for a signage and wayfinding system which directs residents and visitors to landmarks, facilities, activity centers, and services including but not limited to:
  •  Restaurant and retail clusters (West Hartford Center and Blue Back Square (particularly parking), Bishops Corner, Corbin’s Corner, Elmwood, New Park Avenue transit corridor, Park Road, Sunset Triangle). 
  • Arts and culture
  • Historic sites
  • Parks and hiking trails
  • Religious institutions
  • Municipal facilities, including but not limited to; West Hartford Town Hall, Elmwood Community Center, West Hartford Public Libraries (Bishops Corner, Faxon and Noah Webster), West Hartford Senior Centers (Elmwood and Bishops Corner), West Hartford Public Schools, Police and Fire Stations, and Public Works Facilities.
  • Tourist destinations
  • Bicycle routes
  • Guidelines should also be created for signage inside municipal buildings and include best practices for the way information is conveyed on a sign e.g., QR codes, other.
• To improve navigation for all modes of travel with emphasis on establishing signage and wayfinding links to transit, bicycle and pedestrian walkways.
• To reinforce the identity of West Hartford as a premier, easy-to-access destination for business, residential, entertainment, dining, and recreational activity.
• To be sustainable as well as expandable and to establish an ongoing administration and maintenance plan for the system. 
• To develop a budget and phased schedule for implementation of the signage and wayfinding program

About our Wayfinding Consultants

The Town of West Hartford has hired MERJE as their wayfinding signage consultant. MERJE is a nationally recognized design firm with specific expertise in Community Wayfinding, they have worked with more than 125 communities of all sizes and aspirations in the development of similar programs. Their Scope of work includes the planning, design and documentation of the program.

Project Timeline

Planning and Schematic Designs: December 2022 - February 2023
Sign Planning and Design Development: March - August 2023
Documentation Drawings: June - December 2023
Bidding: Early 2024
Fabrication & Installation: To Be Determined

Project Funding

At its September 13, 2022 meeting, the West Hartford Town Council allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds totaling $500,000 to support: the consultant fee, program design and development, fabrication and installation of this project.