Sacramento State University Transportation and Parking Signage & Wayfinding Master Plan

Parking at Sacramento State has been notoriously difficult. The university is building their fifth parking structure and revamping their alternative transportation options. The campus asked Dreyfuss + Blackford to create a Master Plan for all their transportation related signage and wayfinding so it looked cohesive and would serve them for the next 20 years. Special emphasis was needing in accommodating the four existing parking structures and 14 surface lots. The look and feel also needed to be translated to other modes of getting to campus: shuttle, EV, bicycle routes, autonomous vehicles, bus and light rail. The final master plan document gives the campus a road map for signage consistency and implementation. As modes of transportation change in the coming years, Sac State will be ready.

Specific features of the master plan include standardizing permit types based on use. Administrators, Employees, Students and Residents all have dedicated areas to park in and these zones tended to change over time. We devised a plan to give permit-holders an easier way to identify who can park where and when. Specifically branded regulatory and directional signage gives a consistent look allowing everyone to understand they are travelling through planned spaces inside a larger campus, which reduces anxiety, fosters a sense of security, and provides clear direction quickly. Inside the structures, zones of color note special use areas on each floor. Bicycle parking, paths, and corresponding directional signage is also being folded into the new brand (all based on existing Sac State branding guidelines), as is other alternative modes of transportation. Consideration of materials and capabilities of the Facilities Management Department for on-campus sign fabrication was carefully reviewed to ensure requirements could be met in-house, as needed.

The first campus area to implement the new signage standard is Parking Structure 5.