Wayfinding

Wayfinding—using signage to help people orient themselves in a new space, find their destinations with minimal stress, and locate points of interest—has been a topic of community discussion since the Broadway Streetscape project. With the revitalization of Lorain’s Downtown and ongoing interest in Lorain’s Metroparks, organizations like Main Street Lorain are keen to install wayfinding signage. This effort aims to encourage walking within the community and identify key destinations for residents. Utilizing temporary demonstration funds for this pilot project will enable us to gather data on the effectiveness and utility of such signage in Lorain.

In June 2024, Lorain County Public Health initiated a discussion to utilize $1,750 in Creating Healthy Communities dollars for a temporary demonstration project in the City of Lorain, in cooperation with Lorain Connected. Lorain County Public Health is currently working on several temporary demonstration initiatives throughout Lorain County. In June, Lorain Connected met with the team responsible for implementing temporary wayfinding in South Lorain in 2018, which included QR code scans and directional signage. Building on this experience, the project team began holding weekly meetings to refine the new wayfinding project. Lorain County Public Health developed the new sign designs, with each destination having multi-locational signs directing to other destinations. Breadcrumb signs with QR codes and directions to nearby destinations will be installed along the routes.

Seven locations were selected for the pilot:

1. Lakeview Park
2. Downtown Lorain
3. Mile Long Pier
4. Century Park
5. Black River Landing
6. Lorain Public Library—Main Branch
7. Sgt. Sam Felton Central Park

Then, the Engineering Department met with the city's Sign Department to discuss the project implementation. The city was able to provide materials and print the signs for approximately $100 and dynamic QR codes were purchased for one year for $500. The signs were installed in Fall 2024. Monitoring of QR code scans will be conducted by the Engineering Department and Lorain County Public Health throughout the life of the project.