Toronto 360 wayfinding implementation

The City of Toronto has commenced the roll-out of its successful Toronto 360 (TO360) pedestrian wayfinding system, which is a central component of the City’s goal to make Toronto a more walkable, welcoming and understandable place for visitors and residents alike.

Steer Davies Gleave has been involved in this project since its outset in 2011. Initially to develop a wayfinding strategy and outline business case, and subsequently, for the detailed design and implementation of a pilot scheme centred on the Financial District in the city’s downtown core.

Working alongside partners T-Kartor and Swerhun, Steer Davies Gleave has been commissioned to support the City in the staged city-wide implementation of this world-class wayfinding system over the next five years.

TO360 Wayfinding Strategy

The TO360 Wayfinding Strategy is a multi-modal wayfinding system that includes pedestrian, vehicular, cycling and public transit modes. The anticipated benefits of this integrated wayfinding system are:

• To enhance the image of Toronto as a destination
• To increase confidence to walk and reduce walk times
• To promote multiple modes of transportation and reduce auto use
• To increase visitors at key attractions, and boost the local economy
• To improve the urban realm
• To improve sense of community, pedestrian safety, health and the environment

The business case completed in 2012, captured some of these outcomes and its initial findings were further qualified by an independent evaluation of the pilot. It determined that for every dollar invested, almost four dollars will be returned in transportation benefits over the 25-year life cycle of the project. Some key findings of the evaluation included:

• A 13% reduction in walk times for specific journeys
• A 33% increase in walking trips and 27% increase in time spent walking in the pilot area
• A reduction of over 50% in the number of car trips for journeys that started and finished within the pilot area
• More than half the survey respondents stated that they no longer felt lost

The current commission runs from 2017-2022, and includes:

• Development of a detailed 700 km2 city-wide base map for use in many wayfinding products offered by the City and project partners
• Planning and support for the implementation of on-street pedestrian signs in selected geographic areas
• The design and delivery of additional wayfinding products across the city including transit shelter walk maps, updated Bike Share station maps and an updated Toronto Visitor Map
• A digital information strategy

The TO360 Wayfinding Strategy builds on Steer Davies Gleave’s wide ranging experience delivering wayfinding for cities, universities, sports stadia, retail centres and transport environments, with a unique approach covering all elements of the project life-cycle: from strategy and planning to detailed design, on-site support and digital delivery.

Steer Davies Gleave is also leading the delivery of a pilot wayfinding project for Toronto’s Parks & Trails, and an updated wayfinding strategy for the world’s largest underground retail network, The PATH, located across the city’s downtown core.