In response to consumer surveys revealing that visitors often had difficulty navigating in the central business district, Indianapolis has installed directional signage in its historic downtown. Completed last fall, the Direction Downtown Vehicular and Pedestrian Wayfinding Program guides visitors to a variety of public facilities in a 1-square-mile area.

Indianapolis' downtown is divided into four sections by diagonal streets that meet at Monument Circle. The 19th century design was modeled after the original plans for Washington, D.C.

However, consumer surveys indicated that negotiating downtown had become difficult, says Public Works Director Dennis Neidigh. "As a result of surveys conducted by Indianapolis Downtown Inc. [IDI, a local nonprofit organization] of our conventioneers ... we determined that we needed some graphical, easy-to-read, naturally progressing signs to help both pedestrian and vehicular traffic," he explains.

In early 1998, the city and IDI formed an advisory committee of public and private representatives to create signage that would help people find downtown destinations. The city also hired Corbin Design, Traverse City, Mich., to design the system and the graphics.

According to Margaret Banning, director of management services for IDI, one of the most difficult problems for the committee was deciding which destinations to include on the signs. The committee narrowed its choices after requiring that "finalists" be located in the regional center; open to the public; near public parking; visible from street level; and classified as nonprofit organizations or supported with a significant amount of public funds. Museums, government properties, nonprofit organizations and sports team venues are among the 42 destinations for which signs are posted.

The number of signs for each attraction corresponds to the venue's annual attendance. Facilities with more than 750,000 visitors a year are labeled "high traffic" and are included on directional signs in all of the downtown quadrants. Attractions with more than 25,000 visitors are considered "major" and have directional signage in their own quads, while venues with fewer than 25,000 visitors a year are "minor" and are mentioned only on the signs on the last turn before their facilities. Some signs - such as those for the city's children's museum and art museum - direct visitors to venues outside the downtown area. Those facilities are located within the county and draw more than 750,00 visitors annually.

IDI created 148 signs, including interstate locators, downtown welcome signs, vehicle and pedestrian signs, and eight electrical kiosks (similar to "You are here" mall signs). Poblocki and Sons, Milwaukee, manufactured the signs, and the city assembled them. A private contractor will install the kiosks.

Funding for the project came from public and private sources, according to Banning. The city and state also contributed in-kind support.