Thu, 02 Sep 2021 - 09:11
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Better signage for pedestrians and cyclists in Launceston

The City of Launceston has rolled out over 200 wayfinding signs across the city as part of the $19.4 million City Heart Project, which aims to make central Launceston the business, retail and lifestyle hub of Northern Tasmania.  

Wayfinding signage assists pedestrians and cyclists to navigate from place to place, by providing directional and location information.

The project sought to contemporise and standardise wayfinding signage across Launceston with a range of different styles having been in place around the city for decades.

The City Heart initiative is funded by all three levels of government under the Launceston City Deal, with the Australian Government contributing $7.5 million, the Tasmanian Government contributing $5.8 million, and local government contributing $6.1 million.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP:

“The City Heart Project is one of many initiatives funded under the $536 million Launceston City Deal, which is helping to position Launceston’s CBD as a vibrant and attractive retail and visitor destination.

“This is one of many important infrastructure projects that the Morrison Government is delivering across the country under our record $110 billion, 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline, which is helping to drive Australia's economic recovery.”

Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for State Growth, the Hon Roger Jaensch MP:

“This initiative is an important component of getting Tasmanians out and about to experience all that Launceston has to offer, either by walking or cycling.”

“Wayfinding is a great example of the approach underpinning the Launceston City Deal – that investment in infrastructure, whether it is civil, education or defence, is an important part of making Launceston Australia’s most liveable and innovative city.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Bass, Ms Bridget Archer MP:

“This project is another step towards establishing Launceston as one of the most liveable cities in the world, through the Launceston City Deal.

“The wayfinding signage will make it easier to find your way around, creating safer and more accessible pedestrian and bicycle links.

“Importantly, the signage will create more viable places by increasing foot and cycling traffic, meaning longer stays and more retail profitability.”

Quotes attributable to Launceston Mayor, Albert van Zetten:

"Wayfinding signage is about more than simply providing directions. The roll-out of wayfinding signage with consistent form, structure, typography, colours and graphical elements will ensure Launceston's signage carries a distinct visual language, providing users with concise, easily legible information.

"Through the use of high contrast colours, well-chosen fonts, and prominent locations, we hope the wayfinding signage will help visitors and locals alike to navigate our city and ensure Launceston has a consistent look.

"We've taken care to consider things like the 'light reflective value' of signage, ensuring the contrast levels between foreground and background colours remain above 70 per cent. This helps to make signage more legible for people who are vision impaired.

"Launceston is a modern and contemporary city, but also a city with a proud history. Our wayfinding signage will be an important element in showcasing to visitors that we are also a welcoming and easily navigable city, with great recreational links, modern public spaces and fantastic community facilities.

"The signage suite that has been installed in recent months includes plinths, wall-mounted signs, and co-located signs that have been placed on existing infrastructure like street light poles."