dear PATH administration…
24 02 2008I absolutely love Toronto and I love meandering through our streets, especially our underground streets! But navigating through the PATH can be both a nuisance and blessing. I was there recently (actually going somewhere, as opposed to meandering), and quickly found frustration. It’s easy for those who frequent the halls and know the delicate ins & outs, but for those who aren’t so familiar with the labyrinth – it can be a maddening experience.
I have five comments for the PATH communications team that I believe would drastically improve the underground experience.
1. Maps. I love maps – particularly plans of buildings. Please orient them so that north is positioned upwards.
2. More maps! Have a few more near major exits. For those who need to locate a particular street – consistently finding the same street is very annoying.
3. Signage. There are signs presently, but a few more could be installed for direction to the subway stations.
4. More signage! Place a few more signs that outline major exits.
5. Information kiosks. They are important but their orientation needs to correlate with the layout of the building – otherwise it negates the purpose.
These are merely my ideas, though I hope you will consider these as feasible recommendations.
Thank you!
Sincerely Yours…
The PATH system is kind of like Toronto’s answer to Montréal’s underground city path, RÉSO (a play on the French word réseau or network) and frankly, I find it far more difficult to navigate than our French neighbour’s system. I remember it being pretty intuitive and finding maps everywhere I went. It is a major selling point of the city, which I think puts Montréal ahead of us in terms of tourism dollars. The PATH system is advertised in Toronto tourism literature, but it is not as famous as the RÉSO. Not sure I’d want to lead unknowing tourists down the PATH of confusion without giving adequate information. This is just one of the many elements Toronto has to improve if it’s to compete for tourist dollars. Until the navigation improves, I won’t be venturing beyond what I already know in Toronto’s underground city.
If you think it’s difficult getting around with your grid system layouts, Staffeen you really ought to come and try your hand in this country!
Tortuous and illogical house numbering systems, roundabout after roundabout, one way systems galore, it’s such fun!
I used to live at an address ‘160 Mansfield Road’. Number 161 was/is a pub some four miles away!