LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Lafayette Signs Up for Uniform Signs


zPublic Works Technician David Terhune and Associate Engineer Matt Luttropp hold up the fruits of their labor. Photo Cathy Tyson

There's a new standard color and type font coming in the next few years for all of Lafayette's street signs. Responding to new regulations by the Federal Highway Administration that requires municipalities to install easier to read, and more reflective street signs by 2018, the City Council recently approved the new and improved design that uses upper and lower case letters; "Condit Road" seems a little friendlier and uses less space than "CONDIT ROAD." According to the Federal Highway Administration it can also save lives because of improved readability; fractions of a second spent looking away from the road, increase the odds of accidents.

Drivers, cyclists and walkers may not have noticed there's a variety of colors and designs on Lafayette's existing street signs - from the very old black lettering on white background with all capital letters to white on green and white on orange.

Public Works Technician David Terhune says the variety of fonts and colors contribute to a disconnected feeling. "This project fixes that by replacing every street name sign in the City - over 800 of them - with a new standard. This standard reflects the character and identity of Lafayette and, most importantly, invokes a cohesive sense of belonging. When you see these new signs on the corner, you'll know you're home."

Design-oriented volunteers got together on a number of occasions to decide on color, font and size options finally settling on easy-to-read white reflective letters at least four inches tall on a dark brown background in Rawlinson font. Implementation will be done in zones. Associate Engineer Matt Luttropp and Public Works Technician David Terhune worked diligently to make the signs come to life. One zone will be retrofitted each year until 2016, starting in the downtown area.