In November, DLBA tested a prototype of the new wayfinding signage.
Downtown navigation will have a stylish new twist next year thanks to new wayfinding signage gifted to the City by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA). Twelve contemporary-looking signs designed by the Playa Del Rey-based firm Selbert Perkins will provide Downtown pedestrians with eye-level maps and icons indicating nearby attractions and public services.
“I’m excited for these signs to be installed to improve connectivity between Downtown neighborhoods and encourage residents and visitors to walk and bike throughout Downtown,” said DLBA Placemaking Manager Stephanie Gonzalez. “People are looking for ways to get outdoors safely. If someone is on a walk or ride and sees a sign that highlights Downtown offerings in detail, it may encourage them to explore somewhere beyond their normal route — a shop, a restaurant, or a place with a great view.”
The signs, which will be anchored into the sidewalk, are similar in style to the ones found along the Long Beach Shoreline Bike and Pedestrian Path and on the Promenade in Downtown.
Currently being fabricated by the firm Sign Age, the new signs will be installed in early February in the Downtown Core and adjacent areas with high foot traffic. Frequented by Civic Center and Courthouse attendees, conventioneers, and tourists, this area is bordered by Ocean Boulevard to the south, Magnolia Avenue to the west, Fourth Street to the north, and Linden Avenue to the east. The signs will be maintained by the City of Long Beach.
“I have been going through the design files and doing last minute revisions,” said Gonzalez. “The designs, permitting, and planning were all completed previous to my arrival at DLBA in September,so I am taking the baton to complete the final stages from fabrication through installation.”
Brian Polivka, Capital Projects Coordinator for the Long Beach Public Works Department, said that the new wayfinding signage will be a substantial enhancement in Downtown. “As pedestrian traffic increases in our not far off post-COVID world, this new wayfinding signage will assist both visitors and residents to navigate the Downtown area with ease, and in some cases enlighten the public of businesses they may not have been aware of previously,” he explained. “The addition of the signage will also be of benefit to businesses, making it easier for potential customers to find them and drive foot traffic to their location.”
The new wayfinding signage is part of DLBA’s strategic plan to improve the Downtown pedestrian experience. If the signage is a success, DLBA will consider expanding it to other parts of Downtown, while City staff will consider other areas of Long Beach.
For more information on the Downtown wayfinding signage program, please contact Stephanie Gonzalez at stephanieg@dlba.org or visit our Wayfinding webpage.