Downtown Pawtucket Wayfinding Recommendations

Page 1

the City of Pawtucket

&

Highchair designhaus

present

Signage for the contributing buildings in the Downtown National Register Historic District Additional signage in the Downtown National Register Historic District and

Proposed Wayfinding signage for navigating Pawtucket’s Historic Downtown

Presentation August 25th Visitor’s Center Theater 175 Main Street Pawtucket, RI


Part I Signage for the contributing buildings in the Downtown National Register Historic District


back g r o u nd

On April 5th, 2007, the National Parks Service approved listing of the Downtown Pawtucket Historic District, an area roughly bounded by Broad Street, Grant Street, High Street, East Avenue Extension and Main Street.


back g r o u nd

G R A N T ST

ST

ROO SEVE LT AVE

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HU ME S ST BR OA D ST

HIG H ST

B

T EA

Recently, the City of Pawtucket was awarded a grant from the state Historic

Post Office

ST

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Commission. This money was

AS ON

to be used to explore signage

EXC H A N G E ST

ST

highlighting the contributing

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Pawtucket Times

ST N

T OR

BR OA D ST

McDevitt

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U

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structures listed in the new

ST

City Hall

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HIGH ST

EX

AN

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Library ER

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YMCA

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AP

MAIN ST

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Visitor’s Center

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AC PL RK PA

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Slater Mill

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K PL ACE EAS T

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SLA School Dept.

Downtown District.

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Through an RFP process, the City contracted with Highchair designhaus to do the

exploration and initial design samples. In the map, the pink shaded area is the National Register District. The pink outline, by contrast, surrounds what we hope residents or tourists typically think of as “Downtown”.


back g r o u nd

Some of the contributing buildings in the Downtown were already individually listed on the National Register, such as the Pawtucket Times building, the Library and the Old Post Office. Some even had plaques from the Pawtucket Historical Society. Because of this, our new plaques had to work with these designations, and complement them.


back g r o u nd

Through a design process, which involved citing the signage that other communities have created as examples and a backand-forth review process on concepts, the City has chosen a scheme for eligible buildings within the newlyformed District.


d owntown his to r ic d is t r ict p laq u e s

Our design is a steelforged plaque, with a raised and polished surface and black-enamelled recessed background. The plaques measure 10 inches wide, three eighths of an inch thick and vary in height. Two versions are available: with or without an expanded description. These are color-texture mock-ups of the final plaque approved by the RIHPHC.

With Description

Without Description


d owntown his to r ic d is t r ict p laq u e s

Two plaques (seen on the slide previous) will be paid for and installed by the City as examples. Plaques will be available for order to eligible building owners for between $400 and $500 each. This photo is a mock-up of a final installation. The placement of the plaque is merely a suggestion, and does not reflect input from the Library staff.


address

common name

9 Broad St

McDevitt Bldg Kinyon’s Block McHale Bldg Pawtucket Boys Club Bldg Adams Furniture Costello Brothers Bldg Beswick Bldg Pawtucket Times Bldg Elks Lodge #920 Veloria Hotel Veloria Apartments Graham Bldg Strauss-Appelles House

30 East Ave 53 East Ave 65 East Ave 1 Exchange St 23 Exchange St 27 Exchange St 50 Exchange St 56 Exchange St 9 Grant St 10 Grant St 85 High St 100 High St 110 High St 120 High St 216 Main St 228 Main St 250 Main St 255 Main St 25 Maple St 9 Montgomery St 40 Montgomery St 47 Montgomery St 49 Montgomery St 61 Montgomery St 66 Montgomery St 75 Montgomery St 1 Summer St 13 Summer St 20 Summer St 21 Summer St 26 Summer St 29 Summer St 41 Summer St

historic name

Nickerson-Clapp House NE Telephone & Telegraph Bldg Salvation Army Bldg Providence Telephone Co. Bldg Monast Apartments Cape Verdean Club Disandro Bldg R.I. Hospital Trust National Bank Providence County Savings Wheaton-Toole Bldg The Grant W.T. Grant Bldg Pawtucket Pawn Pacific National Bank Pawtucket Mutual Insurance Co. Bldg Pawtucket Spiritualist Church U.S. Post Office Nelson Day House Thorpe Electric Co. Bldg Thorpe Auto Co. Bldg Libero Bernardini & Co. Bldg Times Square Tire Co. Robert C. Reetz & Co. Bldg Pawtucket Public Library Old Pawtucket Post Office Deborah Cook Sayles Public Library YMCA Feldman Furniture Henry F. Arnold Livery Stable Weinberg Glass Studio Tom’s Restaurant Chamber Of Commerce Bldg Edie Cohen Furniture Bldg

date

d owntown his to r ic d is t r ict p laq u e s

1888 1947 1902 1921 1891 1895 1926 1928

34 buildings are eligible for a plaque. Contact Sue Mara, City of Pawtucket Planning Department, to place an order.

1926 1871 1871 1948 1914 1927 1951 1901 1892

Expanded text for a building’s plaque may be taken from the National Register Inventory sheet, available from the City.

1934 1890 1906 1922 1933 1886 1925 1913 1921 1913 1896 1899 1905 1892 1922 1924 1910

Buildings outside of the Downtown District but already listed may be eligible for a similar plaque if the interest is great enough. For example, a plaque could be created for the Exchange Street Historic District or the Church Hill Historic District.


Part II Additional signage in the Downtown National Register Historic District


downtown historic district street signs

G R A N T ST

T Y S

HU ME S ST BR OA D ST

O

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ROO SEVE LT AVE

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HIG H ST

A BE

The next task was to come up with an affordable way to mark the bounds of the

Post Office

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Downtown District.

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EXC H A N G E ST

ST

EX TE R ST

ST

R NO

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BR OA D ST

McDevitt

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to co-exist with street

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City Hall

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HIGH ST

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Library ER

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YMCA

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Visitor’s Center

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PA R K PL A C E W ES T

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Ideally, the solution needed

Pawtucket Times

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navigation. The options were limited, so the solution came about quickly and simply.


downtown historic district street signs

t o n w w n o d

Historic Dißrict PAWT U

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O

R

PO

18

I NC

86

T

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KE

Y

OF

R AT E

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Street Sign “Hats” were designed to be placed on existing street signs within the District. Hats can be placed on streets on the boundaries of the District, or on all street signs within the District. A teal blue was selected as the color for the District. Bright and strong, the color is different enough as to be distinctive from other preexisting signage.


downtown historic district street signs

These “Hats” have been approved and are currently in production by Sunshine Signs (North Grafton, MA). This is a mock-up of the final sign design and placement. (These streets are used as an example and may not be labelled with hats. )

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Historic Dißrict PAWT U

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The simplicity of the design allows other Districts within the City to follow this example, and expansion of the signage may be considered if it meets with favor from residents and business owners.


Part III Proposed Wayfinding signage for navigating Pawtucket’s Historic Downtown


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

The Problem: Due to the difficult-to-navigate traffic patterns in Downtown Pawtucket, many local businesses have taken it upon themselves to create signage to help customers navigate their way to their business. Over the years, this has lead to new signs being placed over or near old and outdated wayfinding. Landmarks have moved but signs have not been removed or changed to reflect that. And in some cases, oversignage is the issue.


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

The Opportunity: Over the next few years, the City will have to deal with traffic issues related to the construction of a new I-95 bridge over the Blackstone River. While this is an obstacle, it is also an opportunity to set some things right. More traffic through the City means more new drivers unfamiliar with navigating downtown in order to avoid highway traffic. In addition to adjusting some traffic patterns (one-way streets), it was Highchair’s job to propose some new Wayfinding signage to replace old and outdated signs.


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

A Step Back: Before we present our design ideas, it is neccesary to also present the background and parameters we needed to work within. The first step of a signage project like this is to ask: which buildings or insitutions are deep-rooted enough to use as landmarks? Our answer: The Armory, City Hall, Slater Mill, Visitor’s Center, the Library, the YMCA and Downtown Main Street. Not pictured: Visitor’s Center


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Why? The reasons why we picked these landmarks are fairly simple: 1. The landmark must be as permanent a structure or institution as possible. 2. The landmark must be distinct and recognizable, or, must be an area that is well understood by local nomenclature. 3. The landmark should be able to be used on DOTapproved highway signage


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

The first two criteria should be well accepted by local Visitor’s Center

residents as well as outsiders

Slater Mill Historic Site

and potential tourists. All of the mentioned structures

Pawtucket Armory exit

are destinations in their own

29

right. The harder one to understand without more background may be the requirements exit

exit 27 Pawtucket Library

29

114 Downtown Pawtucket 3/4 m i l e

that DOT has for signage on a Federal highway. The following slides illustrate this process.


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

exit

29

114 Downtown Pawtucket 3/ 4 m i l e Green signs must contain route numbers and street names. Nothing else is permitted.

Federal Highway signs have

Visitor’s Center Slater Mill Historic Site Pawtucket Armory exit

29

Brown signs may only contain historic sites and approved tourist attractions.

three different colors that we can be concerned with: These requirements determined which landmarks we could consistently use from the highway and into the City. This consistency is very important in order to establish a heirarchy within the City’s core, and to further cement these already well-

exit 27 McCoy Stadium

blue signs may designate local attractions that are not necessarily historic in nature. They may also be used for local accomodations and amenities.

known landmarks in the local lexicon.


exi st i n g s ig n s & the i r ap p. locations

p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Visitor Center Slater Mill, Exit 29 Exit 29 Downtown Pawtucket Exit 27 D.M.V. Registry McCoy Stadium

More Opportunity: In conversations with the DOT, it was determined that the existing highway signage should be updated. For instance, some signs still have directions to the former D.M.V., which will eventually

Visitor Center Slater Mill, Exit 28

be moved out of Pawtucket completely. In their review, DOT

Exit 28 School St. Exit 27 Downtown Pawtucket Exit 28 D.M.V. Registry McCoy Stadium Exit 27 Downtown Pawtucket

determined that there are additional locations that could get brown or blue signs.


pr op o s e d l ocat i on s for n e w DOT signs

p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Visitor’s Center Slater Mill, Exit 29 Pawtucket Armory

Exit 29 Pawtucket City Hall Exit 29 Downtown Pawtucket Exit 27 McCoy Stadium Pawtucket Library

Therefore, we present our recommendations for additional blue or brown highway exit signage, or alterations to existing language on signs.

Exit 27 Historic Downtown Business District

As with signs that will be developed for City circulation,

Exit 28 McCoy Stadium Pawtucket City Hall

Visitor’s Center Slater Mill, Exit 28 Pawtucket Armory

the idea is that businesses like the Gamm Theatre will tell their customers to follow

Exit 28 School St. Exit 27 Downtown Pawtucket Exit 27 Pawtucket Library Pawtucket YMCA Exit 27 Downtown Pawtucket

signs for the Armory, Kafe Lila will tell people to follow signs for Downtown, Village Restaurant tells people to follow signs for the Visitor’s Center, etc...


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Traffic patterns through the City will evolve over the next few years during demolition and construction of the I-95 bridge. Suggested traffic flow is highlighted in red. This traffic flow can be achieved with wayfinding signage at the important street corners, labelled with some of the landmarks we have already discussed.


STRAIGHT STRAIGHT Downtown Visitor’s Center Slater Mill/City Hall Slater Mill/City Hall Visitor’s Center I-95 N & S

p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

The signs themselves: Simple, informative, bright and easy to read. Colors should be limited to white, black, and teal, with accents only when neccesary (like

C

RP

O R AT E D

intersections, one for each direction possible. No more than three lines of text, and destinations can be grouped if they are in the same direction. When appropriate, a sign

6

C

denoting that “you are

88

IN

O

PAWT U

KEEP RIGHT ENTERING Downtown Historic Slater Mill/City Hall Downtown Visitor’s Center Circulator

Signs should be grouped at

T

Y

OF

KE

CIT

RIGHT LEFT Pawtucket Armory Pawtucket Library Exchange Street Pawtucket YMCA to Broad & Dexter Exchange Street

Interstate symbols).

1

entering” Historic Downtown Pawtucket should be used.


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Signs should be constructed of D.O.T.-grade aluminum, with a reflective coating. Teal and blues are color-fast (more 36”

24”

STRAIGHT Visitor’s Center Slater Mill/City Hall I-95 N & S Fonts:

LACEFGHMORSYZ EFT Avenir Black Pawtucket Library AaEeFfGgHhMmYyZz Pawtucket YMCA PMN Caecillia Heavy Exchange Street

so than reds and yellows), yet we suggest that an ink-onaluminum process be used instead of applied vinyl, as this process tends to fade, crack and/or peel over time.


and Fountain St. CE

NT

RA

L A VE

A route one might take off the highway and to Slater Mill (for example). 29

SUGGESTED SIGN PLACEMENT AND ARROW INDICATING WHICH DIRECTION DRIVER’S ARE APPROACHING FROM

N TA FOU

Dis p

lay

IN

ST

MI DD LE ST

FR ON T ST

before

ssic

STORIC DISTRICT

Example 1a: Corner of Exit 29

Cla

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p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

IN

ST

Example 1b: Corner of N TA

FOU

Cla

ssic D

isp lay

Broadway and Exchange St. ABL AC route one might take off the KS TO N E AV E

highway and to Slater Mill (for example).

AD

WA

Post Office

BRO

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tolman High Sc hool

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GRANT ST

Pawtucket Armory

EXCHANGE ST

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Library ER

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City Hall

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Riverfront Lo

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BRO

Pawtucket Times

Blackstone Landin

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EX CH AN GE ST


BL AC KS TO N E AV p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e E

Example 1c: Corner of Broadway and Exchange St. ROO SEV ELT AVE

GRANT ST

WA

AD

A route one might take off the BRO

tolman High Sc hool

HI GH ST

Post Office

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STRAIGHT Downtown Slater Mill/City Hall Visitor’s Center

HU ME S ST

highway and to Slater Mill (for Pawtucket example). Armory

EXCHANGE ST

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Library

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ST

YMCA

Narr. Insur.

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(2

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KEEP RIGHT Downtown Slater Mill/City Hall Visitor’s Center E

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City Hall

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RIGHT Pawtucket Armory Exchange Street to Broad & Dexter

ST

HIGH ST

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ON

BRO

Pawtucket Times

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EX CH AN GE ST


Skating Rink

T Y S

HU ME S ST BR O AD ST

AS

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Example 2: Corner of Main

Post Office

ST

Street, High Street, and East

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Ave. Extension.

AS

M

N

p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e HI GH ST

BE

T AT

ON

EXCHANGE ST

ST

D EX TE

Pawtucket Times

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Union Wadding

AN

ST

R NO

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BR O AD ST

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Visitor’s Center

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Narr. Insur.


Skating Rink

T Y S

HU ME S ST BR O AD ST

AS

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Example 3: Corner of Main

Post Office

ST

Street and High Street,

M

heading towards the split. EXCHANGE ST

AS

M

N

p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e HI GH ST

BE

T AT

ON ST

D EX TE

Pawtucket Times

R ST AN

ST

R NO BR O AD ST

McDevitt

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Library ER

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(2

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ST

Gr an

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Narr. Insur.

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Slater M

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School Dept.

RIGHT to High Street YMCA/Library Central Falls AIN

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K PL AC

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PARK PLAC E WEST

PAWT U

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OF

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I

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YMCA

VE FF A O G

Historic Downtown Circulator ENTERING

TH

UN

ON

HIGH ST

EX

CH

GE

E

Union Wadding


Skating Rink

BE

T AT

T Y S

ME S ST p r o p o s e dHU wayfind ing s ig nag e BR O AD ST

Example 4: Corner of Main N

Post Office

Street and Dexter Street. A M AS

M

O AS

ST

ON

“Historic Circulator” sign

ST

prepares the visitor for the

D EX

idea that if they miss a turn,

TE

Pawtucket Times

R ST

Union Wadding

S T must circle left to come S T they N GE IO

E

H XC

AN

back around.

M

M

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(2

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Narr. Insur.

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School Dept.

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LEFT to Main Street Slater Mill/City Hall YMCA/Library

ST

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LEY

PA

B AY

M A IN S T

1

Bayl

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PARK PLAC E WEST

6

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RP

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PAR

PAWT U

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McDevitt

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BR O AD ST

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ENTERING Historic Downtown Circulator

NO

TH

ST


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

b e f or e

Other Recommendations: Parking: The City has plenty of it, but in our opinion, it is poorly labelled. The parking garage is great, but again, the signage is weak. The large sign on the corner top of the garage is not after

in a driver’s eyeline, and the street-front retail hides the structure’s use from drivers. We recommend using the International Style “P” signs to denote parking. 1s t f lo o r

2nd f lo o r

P EPRM E RM IT IT ON OLY N LY

3r d f lo o r


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

Other Recommendations: Parking: Signs by the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council were wellintentioned, but aren’t universally recognized as Parking signs. Again, we recommend using the International Style “P” signs to denote parking.


p r o p o s e d wayfind ing s ig nag e

29

LEGEND P A R K ING

ONE WAY STREET

SUGGESTED SIGN PLACEMENT

BU ILDINGS

“DOWNTOWN”

A N D A R R O W I N D I C AT I N G W H I C H DIRECTION DRIVER’S ARE

WAYFINDING BUILDINGS

DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT

APPROACHING FROM

GR EEN SPACE

FRON T ST

MIDD LE ST

Final Recommendations: New Sign Placement: In the N TA FOU

more effective, the City

Cla ss

ic D isp

lay

IN

ST

end, for traffic flow to be

BLAC KSTO NE AVE

must make an investment BRO AD ST

Y

Post Office

ST

N

the intersections that we

Pawtucket Armory

AS ON

recommend wayfinding to be

EXCHANGE ST

ST EXCH ANG E ST

TE

Pawtucket Times

R ST BRO AD ST

McDevitt

SU

M

IO

M

N

ST

Library

ER

ST

YMCA

LEA

TH

ER

AV E

LE M

AP

MAIN ST

Narr. Insur.

OS RO

85

Visitor’s Center

-)

Th

e

(2

AV E

EV

H IG ST

Gr an

t

N

TER

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H S T

H RT O N

AC

AI

PL RK

AV

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SLA

Slater Mill

BR

EAS

l’s

T.

b

ST

Clu

AV E EX T

EA

ST

AV

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HIL L ST Slater Cotton

EA ST AV E EX T.

ST

SOUTH UNION ST

SC HO OL

RO OS EV ELT

CH UR CH ST

JEN KS WA Y

GEO RGE ST

PLEA SAN T ST

Apex

HARR ISON ST

Ground Round / Comfort Inn

27

28

W AT ER

C E DA R S T

OA

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AY

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&

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(38

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School Dept.

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which direction a driver will be approaching the sign from.

ST

VE FF A

placed. The arrows indicate

WA

R

UN

ts Riverfront Lof

NO

TH

AD

ST

BRO

GE

City Hall

AN

HIGH ST

E

H XC

Y

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Blackstone Landing

D Union Wadding

GO

in signage. To the left are

M

M

O AS

WA

HUM ES ST

AD

ST

BRO

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ol

AT

HIGH ST

BE

tolman High Scho

Skating Rink

ROOSEVE LT AVE

GR AN T ST

ST


Thank You Thank you to the City for selecting us to make these recommendations. Thank you to the businesses and individuals who have come down to this meeting, and of course, thank you for any feedback or new ideas you may have.


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