traffic road signs

Calgary Parking Authority

Parking Signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

Calgary Parking Authority

Parking Signs

Calgary Parking Authority

Traffic and Road Signs/Directional Signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

Calgary Parking Authority

Traffic and Road Signs/Directional Signs

Calgary Parking Authority

Traffic and Road Signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

Calgary Parking Authority

Traffic and Road Signs

LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

LRT Parkade

directional signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

LRT Parkade

directional signs

LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

Added 24 Nov 2016

LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

69 Street Park & Ride

Pylon Sign

Added 9 Mar 2016

69 Street Park & Ride

Pylon Sign

Calgary Parking Authority

Di-Bond Parking Signs

Added 13 Apr 2015

Calgary Parking Authority

Di-Bond Parking Signs

West LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

Added 2 Apr 2015

West LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

West LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

Added 2 Apr 2015

West LRT Parkade

Directional Signs

Ernest Manning High School

Directional Signs

Added 2 Apr 2015

Ernest Manning High School

Directional Signs

While traffic and road signs might not seem like the most creative sign type, they are integral an integral category. Not only are they necessary to maintain safety on the road but they also help people navigate through a space effectively. As such, standardization and clarity are key elements in a successful traffic and road sign design.

Like other directional signage, this goal is achieved by using easy-to-read font at a large size. In addition, the text is often written in short, authoritative sentences. While a bright red sign written in all-caps might seem unnecessarily alarming, it’s important for traffic and road signs to stick out. This is because, due to the number of signs we encounter in our day to day lives, it’s easy for us to ignore them and treat them like visual noise. And ignoring a traffic or road sign can lead to terrible consequences.

However, getting someone to notice a traffic or road sign isn’t enough. A lack of a consistent design system between traffic and road signs in an area, can still lead to confusion or, even worse, accidents. For instance, we assume that if a sign is red, it means warning, and if it’s green, it means all clear. This is often the case outside of North America as well. To use these colours differently than your audience has grown to expect is not recommended. In the same way, icons depicting walkways or public washrooms are often the same around the world. We use internationally recognized symbols and colours to help people travel through spaces efficiently and without relying solely on language.

Because road and traffic signs are only useful if they are seen, there are a number of types used for different purposes. Examples include the commonly seen metal placards, to inform viewers of a “no parking area,” to large, lit up pylon signs with LED message displays.