Riders' Advisory Council Meeting
The meeting commenced with a roll call to establish a quorum. Key discussion points focused on the future of wayfinding within the Metro system, noting the evolution from the original 1976 design to the current state, which includes static elements, real-time digital screens, and over 120,000 signs. The council discussed challenges arising from system expansion, architectural changes, and diverse customer needs (multimodal, multilingual, occasional travelers). Pilot programs at various stations were reviewed, concluding that customers prefer labeled exits, points of interest, station ahead maps, and consistency. A newly assembled team of experienced designers is leading the next phase to formalize guidelines, reduce visual noise, and improve clarity. Feedback was solicited from the council regarding desired features, experienced challenges, and priorities. Specific feedback included the preference for keeping all station names on station ahead maps for equity, and the desire for real-time next train arrival information to be consistently displayed on platform digital screens, even in legacy systems. A strategic decision was confirmed to utilize single-letter discs for line identification during future replacements.