Community Wayfinding: Building Identity, Connectivity, and Economic Vitality

An Innovative Cities Lecture

Community wayfinding systems do much more than direct people from one destination to another—they shape how residents and visitors experience a place. This lecture explores the planning, design, and implementation of community wayfinding programs, beginning with downtown business districts and expanding to neighborhoods, parks, regional trail systems, and community gateways.

Learn about the newly developed Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Community Wayfinding Toolkit, demonstrating how communities of all sizes can create coordinated wayfinding systems that enhance economic development, visitor experiences, and local pride.

Showcasing examples from Wisconsin cities, presenters will share how wayfinding supports tourism, strengthens community identity, and reinforces branding through coordinated logo and graphic design. Speakers will share the process of developing a successful wayfinding program, including stakeholder committees, public engagement, funding strategies, sign hierarchy, walkable maps, messaging, GIS mapping, and long-term maintenance responsibilities. The process and outcomes highlight the importance of designing wayfinding systems at multiple scales, from pedestrian-oriented downtown signage to regional trail networks connected to county recreation systems.

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