Subtle sign changes designed to help drivers in S. Tahoe
By Kathryn Reed
What people may begin to notice as they drive around South Lake Tahoe is something is missing.
But what?
Clutter. Clutter in the form of signs.
Signs are changing in South Tahoe to help motorists find things easier. Photo/Provided
“Wayfinding is intended to be an intuitive way to find your way around the community. It is not intended to be glaring or offensive,” explained B Gorman, executive director of the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce.
This collage of signs shows what led to the desire to make changes. Gorman said it’s the absence of visual clutter people will notice most.
Her group helped spearhead the challenge to bring uniformity to signs throughout the South Shore, with the El Dorado side the first to implement the program. The chamber took Carl Ribaudo, a marketing specialist on the South Shore, up on is idea this was something the community needed.
South Lake Tahoe put $66,000 toward the project and El Dorado County $42,500.
It is just now that signs are popping up in town even though the project started being discussed in spring 2007. A major cog in the wheel of progression is a state highway runs through the middle of town. Caltrans and NDOT have particular rules about signage on state highways.
NDOT, according to Gorman, would not proceed until its California counterpart took action. When NDOT may consider wayfinding again is not known.
“We tried to explain to Caltrans we are different,” Nancy Kerry said. Kerry worked on the program while employed by the chamber and then when she was hired by South Lake Tahoe.
That difference is that in addition to regular signage on a state highway, the small towns that dot these roads also need to let people know where things like the library, marina and beaches are.
“It was exciting when Caltrans said we can make this work,” Kerry said. “They are separating the town destinations from the highway destination needs.”
What won’t be seen on the highway signs are lots of color and fun symbols like what San Francisco has with an icon of Italy pointing to North Beach and a crab for Fisherman’s Wharf.
The city may be able to get more creative with signs that are not on the highway, and to possibly incorporate an alpine motif.
But the ski resort and marina symbols people are accustomed to will remain, but incorporated into that uniform look.
“It’s important to bring some consistency in sign style because when you are traveling down the road, if there are a lot of different signs, whatever the message is gets lost because you have to read so many things,” Kerry said. “If there is consistency in size, color, font and style, then you only notice what has changed, which is content. You can get to where you are going faster and easier.”
The new signs are cleaner, more uniform. The 22 signs Caltrans approved are slated to be in place before the Amgen Tour de California bike race in mid-May that starts in South Lake Tahoe.
“It makes the community look more appealing for the visitor and residents,” Gorman said of wayfinding.
Congratulations! This is definitely a good direction for our community. Thank you for pushing this through.
Was a list of proposed signs ever released before the money was spent?
Were the owners of private destinations like the Tahoe Queen, Heavenly Valley Ski Resort, Lakeside Marina, Timber Cover Marina ever informed of this and asked for inputs?
The sign issue with the business owners and the trpa and city nothing more than a ignorant OLD local Joke.There’s better things to waste your time, money, on.
Try turning on your GPS on the dash of your car OR THE GOOGLE MAPS ON THE PHONE.
HARVEY’S SIGN on top the building WITH H BURNT OUT SAYS(arvey’s)Been that way for nearly a year……Are these sign pro’s telling us something we don’t know…If Harvey’s replaces the bulb ,”do you really think it bring in more customers?”
Are they finally going to get a decent sign for the college? that has been a travesty for ever.
The Tahoe Queen sign is for a business, can I put up an off premise sign for my business? A response from the city or chamber and or TRPA would be nice.
I can see generic signs such as Ski Resort, Marina, Public Beach, but signs put up at taxpayers expense that advertise a business are unfair and should not be tolerated. They favor the large and corporate over the smaller and local establishments, and we’re paying for them!
Ditto to what lou pierini and Tahoe Freedom Fighter both state!!! And they listen to Carl Ribaudo?? What business on South Shore listens to Carl Ribaudo??
A+ for a direct hit there!
Gosh, there are people out there that can see vision and old vision..”hope” isn’t quite dead after All.
Who listens to carl ribaudo, those that pay him, large corps and the ski industry. Lots of letters but no substance from carl. He even gave up his friend so he could head the new chamber. He is what called a paid W.
Yeah, but what business in town actually hires him? He’s a “marketing specialist”, says who? Himself? Is there a business in SLT that currently uses his services and as a result has seen its business increase? And thus why should the Chamber or town listen to him?
parker, most of the too big to fail business, ski resorts associations for example.
The reason we don’t have billboards in the basin is a TRPA ord. Now business that could afford billboards has the public, (you and I)pay for them. Specialist that “ride the back of the tiger might end up in his stomach” JFK.
So in other words Lou, (and I think we’re in agreement and the point I’m making is) Carl is not hired to work for, or generate business for, a single significant individual business in town-Heavenly/Vail, the Queen/Aramark (or if he does the signs are a huge conflict of interest) Sierra, Kirkwood, a marina, a hotel, restaurant, or even casino. So what does our town’s Chamber treat him as some sort of expert?
Parker, he goes to all the meetings, I did to at one time, city, trpa, counties, he’s hard to miss, and gives the opinion of his payees. He knows what his clients want him to say, but never discloses who he is speaking for, so here is his chance.
Well if he’s getting any money, in any way, shape or form from the businesses that were chosen to be highlighted on those signs, well that’s another shameless conflict of interest in our town!
And I do know of two businesses that 10 yrs. ago took Carl’s advice. Notice I said 10 yrs. ago, and not currently! The results ended the relationship! And B still has her job after LTN caught her not paying TOT?? Wow! More shamelessness!
And I meant to say in my previous post, “So ‘why’ does our town’s Chamber……”
Carl droped the dime on his friend to get to the top of the chamber, and the LTVA has a history of fraud.
“I like reading Truth for a change.”
Cheers
“MANS THE ONLY ANIMAL THAT KNOWS WHAT THINGS ARE AND WHAT THEY SHOULD BE”
Lou, you keep saying Carl dropped the dime on his friend. Can you explain what you mean and who was his friend?
His friend was the head of the old chamber and did not get his same job when chamber moved to Nv. Carl was to become head of new chamber, so he stayed on the sidelines so his own interest and that of his clients would be met, but his friend was out of a job.
Not to spoil the load he dropped..lol?
My Opinion about the Colleges sign should be granted a special permit.(from whom ever?),(so many freaky agencies out there).
I do believe in the Best Interest of the College that the Art department which I back(all artist), they should be able to start a college project by the design classes,sculptural,ceramics,wood working,paint, to display a college theme that stands for their Symbol and display it to the public on their premises for the rest of the community to enjoy. I don’t care if big as a drive-in screen.
How many rings of fire ,ordinances, do they have to jump upon to have a Earthy Sign that represents their pride,joy,dedication?
Great to see the clean up of the outdated and aging signs. From my understanding there is a lot of restriction from CalTrans on what can be put up (size, colors, symbols, etc.). The least we can provide to visitors is some clear direction and pointer to what they are looking for to reduce confusion/frustration, traffic accidents, and pollution.
nategoddess says: February 3, 2011 at 3:31 pmGreat to see the clean up of the outdated and aging signs,NOW IF WE COULD JUST CLEAN UP THE AGING TRPA,IDEAS.
Would like to debate that?
If Heavenly and the Tahoe
Queen get to have off premise signs, on the public right of way no less, then every business should have the same rights. Where are the permits? Waiting for a response.
If I could get a sign directing people to my business like Heavenly and Tahoe Queen got, I’d be rolling in the dough…instead I get visits from the Community Service Officer every time I put up a banner, sandwich board or balloons. I wonder why Subway gets thas been able too keep their banner up while I get nailed every time…
sorry about the typos…should say – I wonder why Subway has been able to keep their banner up…
Redevelopment areas always violate, but get away with it. The city should let the TRPA enforce it and the city can save money. The city doesn’t have to enforce the TRPA sign rules, they chose to, just 3 votes needed to repeal it. whats up council?
BRING BACK OTTO
Otto was too damn serious….lol but was nice when he took your picture in the booking dept.
Otto could only use citizens arrest, the same as you an I, so the booking issue would not be with anyone he encountered.