Greensboro Wayfinding:

A New Way to Navigate the City

01 / 06

Project History:

A Comprehensive Wayfinding Plan is a clear, concise, and consistent methodology for visitors to navigate around a city through signs. With the recent uptick in activity and redevelopment in downtown and citywide, the City of Greensboro has been developing a wayfinding plan for the downtown and seven reinvestment corridors that connect directly into downtown.

The City tapped stakeholders– including representatives from Downtown Greensboro Inc., Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, Greensboro Science Center, Action Greensboro, East Greensboro Now, Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department, and the Greensboro Coliseum– to provide guidance to this plan.

Destinations for Wayfinding:

These stakeholders worked with the City to identify destinations where visitors are most likely to be traveling to in Greensboro. 

It was important to define downtown and community-wide destinations that are: available to the public, attract visitors, or are points of interest for the community. Private businesses and commercial centers are not included in public wayfinding signage.

Based on these criteria, the following lists of primary, secondary and tertiary destinations were identified by stakeholders.

Primary Destinations:

Primary Destinations generate the highest volumes of visitor traffic within the community. They include:

    Downtown:

    • Carolina Theatre
    • Community Theatre of Greensboro
    • Elon University School of Law
    • First National Bank Field
    • Governmental Plaza
    • Greensboro Children’s Museum
    • Greensboro Cultural Center
    • Greensboro History Museum
    • Guilford County Courthouse
    • International Civil Rights Center Museum
    • J. Douglas Gaylon Depot
    • Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts
    • Triad Stage

    Community-wide:

    • Airport
    • Aggie Stadium
    • Battleground Parks
    • Bennett College
    • Bicentennial Gardens
    • The Bog Garden
    • Coliseum Complex and Convention Center
    • Greensboro Aquatic Center
    • Greensboro Coliseum
    • Greensboro Visitor Center
    • Gateway Gardens
    • Greensboro Arboretum
    • Greensboro College
    • Greensboro Science Center
    • Guilford College
    • Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
    • Koury Convention Center
    • The Magnolia House
    • NCA&T State University
    • Piedmont Hall
    • Taylor Theatre
    • UNCG
    • World War Memorial Stadium

Secondary Destinations:

Secondary Destinations generate a moderate amount of visitor traffic yet are still notable points of interest. They include: 

    Downtown:

    • Center City Park
    • Greensboro City Hall
    • Greensboro Public Central Library
    • Kathleen Price Bryan Family YMCA
    • LeBauer Park
    • Union Square Campus

    Community-wide:

    • ACC Hall of Champions
    • Barber Park
    • Benjamin Branch Public Library
    • Brown Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Coliseum Special Events Center
    • Country Park
    • Craft Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Farmer’s Curb Market
    • The Fieldhouse
    • Glenn McNairy Branch Public Library
    • Glenwood Branch Public Library
    • Glenwood Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Griffin Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Greensboro Sportsplex
    • Hayes-Taylor Memorial YMCA
    • Hemphill Branch Public Library
    • Hester Park
    • Jaycee Community Park
    • Kathleen Clay Edwards Family Branch Public Library
    • Keeley Park
    • Leonard Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Lewis Recreation Center
    • Lindley Recreation Center & Community Park
    • McGirt-Horton Branch Public Library
    • Peeler Recreation Center & Community Park
    • Smith Active Adult Center
    • Spencer Love Tennis Center
    • Trotter Active Adult Center
    • Vance H. Chavis Branch Public Library
    • Warnersville Recreation Center & Community Park
    • White Oak Amphitheater
    • Windsor Recreation Center & Community Park

Tertiary Destinations:

Tertiary destinations are of specific interest to a smaller segment of visitors, but are still important points of interest. They include: 

    Downtown:

    • Blandwood Mansion
    • Downtown Greenway
    • LoFi Park

    Community-wide:

    • Forest Lawn Cemetery
    • Gillespie Golf Course
    • Green Hill Cemetery
    • Lake Brandt Park
    • Lake Daniel Park
    • Lake Higgins Park
    • Lake Townsend Park
    • Latham Park
    • Lindley Community Park
    • Price Park
    • Union Cemetery

.

Proposed Designs:

Stakeholders also selected colors, materials and final designs for wayfinding features. Based on these preferences, a system of signs was developed that include Gateway Signs, Vehicular Directional Signs, Parking Signs, Pedestrian Directional Signs, and Pedestrian Orientation Signs.

Gateway signs are signs at the border of a region, neighborhood or district that introduces or welcomes the visitor to that area. Several sizes and types of gateway signs have been designed to address different types of needs throughout the community.

Vehicular directional signs help visitors find their way to primary destinations. Two different types of these signs have been designed– one specifically for downtown and one for the reinvestment corridors that lead to downtown.

Parking signs help direct motorists to a parking lot or deck and have been designed as both standalone wayfinding features as well as add-on elements to vehicular wayfinding signs.

Vehicular wayfinding signs will be the most common wayfinding sign type that will be installed throughout the community. This rendering illustrates what these will look like along the reinvestment corridor near Summit and Yanceyville. 

Within the Downtown Core, vehicular wayfinding signs will also incorporate the Greensboro skyline and directionals for public parking facilities. This rendering illustrates what these will look like in downtown near Davie and Friendly. 

Pedestrian directional signs are intended to guide pedestrians and bicyclists who may be traveling along sidewalks and trails. Pedestrian directional signs will be located at key intersections in downtown to guide visitors to the many attractions that exist within this area. 

Pedestrian orientation signs include larger maps and list specific points of interest. The location of these signs will be coordinated with the digital kiosks that have been installed downtown.

Next Steps:

Once community feedback has been reviewed, the planning documents will be finalized and the City will begin installing the wayfinding system in phases, over the coming years. The first phase is anticipated to be installed in late 2021. 

Thank you for your interest in learning more about the Greensboro Wayfinding Master Plan.

    Chris Spencer

    Greensboro Department of Transportation

    chris.spencer@greensboro-nc.gov