Meridian Wayfinding

A civic wayfinding system for Union Crossing Transit Hub

Thesis Crit — Spring 2026
By Mara Lindqvist
!

Redesigning how 40,000 daily riders find their way through six transfer levels — from confusion to confidence.

"Riders don't get lost because they're careless. They get lost because the signage argues with itself."

Union Crossing stacks subway, regional rail, and bus rapid transit signage installed by three separate agencies across four decades — each with its own type, color, and arrow logic.

— Thesis statement

6 platforms. 3 agencies. 1 confused rider.

01 / The Problem

Three Signage Systems, Zero Agreement

Union Crossing merges subway, regional rail, and bus rapid transit signage that was never designed to sit in the same hallway.

  • Conflicting arrow logic per level
  • Type changes at every agency line
  • No shared color-coding by direction
  • Avg. dwell-to-transfer: 11.5 min
02 / The Answer

One Wayfinding Grammar

Meridian is a single sign family, color-coded by direction of travel instead of agency, tested with riders across three rounds.

  • Unified type + color system
  • Decision points cut 14 → 6
  • Tactile + braille at every junction
  • Piloted on Level 3, Nov 2025

Where Riders Get Lost

L1 L2 L3 L4 9/hr 15/hr 22/hr 34/hr

Key Metrics

34 errors/hr on Level 4
11.5 min avg. dwell-to-transfer
3 overlapping agency systems
120 riders shadowed

Errors observed during a 40-hour shadow study — Level 4 is the focus of the redesign.

A

Shadow Research

Observed 120 riders across two rush-hour shifts, logging every hesitation, backtrack, and staff question at each decision point.

B

Co-Design Workshops

Ran sessions with the transit agency's ADA compliance office and three rider advisory groups to test the grammar before it left paper.

C

Iterative Prototyping

Cardboard signage mockups were pinned up and tested twice on the Level 3 concourse before the final type spec was locked.

Diagnose

Research

Shadowed 120 riders and mapped every existing sign in the hub against the real decision points people actually hesitate at.

Design & Test

Prototype

Built the Meridian type and color grammar, then ran it through three prototype rounds with 42 volunteer riders.

Pilot & Measure

Validate

Installed the system across the Level 3 concourse for six weeks and re-measured transfer times against the baseline.

[ Meridian signage manual, page 42 ]
Contribution

A Type & Color System Built for Transfers, Not Agencies

Meridian Sans is hinted for legibility at platform-viewing distance, paired with a four-color directional system keyed to compass heading instead of agency logo.

Delivered as a full handoff manual — 140 sign specs, mounting heights, and a tactile map — ready for facilities to install hub-wide.

Manual: 86 pages, ready to hand off

Pilot Results, Level 3

-38% No error One wrong turn Asked staff Backtracked Missed connection

Key Statistics

Errors/hr, before 34
Errors/hr, after 9
Dwell-to-transfer 7.1 min
Riders surveyed 142

Donut shows the outcome mix from 142 pilot riders tracked over six weeks.

Before Meridian

  • Three uncoordinated sign systems
  • 14 wayfinding decision points
  • 34 errors/hr on Level 4
  • 11.5 min avg. dwell-to-transfer
  • No consistent tactile path
vs

After Meridian

  • One unified sign family
  • 6 wayfinding decision points
  • 9 errors/hr on Level 4
  • 7.1 min avg. dwell-to-transfer
  • Tactile path at every junction

Meridian Cuts Transfer Time by 38%

A wayfinding grammar riders don't have to learn twice.

Limitation: pilot covered only Level 3

Full-hub rollout est. 14 months

142 riders

:)

Mara Lindqvist · BFA Thesis, Communication Design · Crit Panel, Spring 2026