By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — Admit it: Even you seasoned straphangers need to sneak a peek at a subway map sometimes — and the MTA is quietly developing a new signage system they hope will help.
The new maps, which are now being tested along the 4/5 line and certain R platforms, look similar to the stop-trackers in newer trains, and tell riders what stop they're at and which stops lie ahead.
Nicknamed "strip signs" by the MTA, the maps, which are brightly colored with a matte black background, are being mounted on the columns that run alongside platforms, where the MTA frequently posts track changes.
"Similar to our mid-2010 redesigned service change posters, we're taking a fresh new approach to increase the availability of easy-to-read maps throughout the system," the MTA said in a statement describing the initiative.
The maps are meant to supplement the large, poster-sized diagrams located along many platforms.
"While every station already has a subway map, customers don't always have time to locate the map or sort through all of the information it provides. We're trying out a few ways of doing this as a pilot and we'll decide how to move forward based on customer feedback," the agency said.
MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said it's still too early to discuss a potential timeline or estimate the cost of the project, and that a final design hasn't been chosen yet.
"This is a pre-cursor to the pilot," he said.
Officials are currently testing two versions of the maps: (the ones on the R lines are long and narrow, with a large letter logo, while the 4/5 signs are smaller and more square).
The MTA began to roll out the new signs in late May and early June.
Links
City Seeks New Signs to Help Residents and Tourists Find Their Way Around
If you find yourself getting lost in New York, you're not alone. A recent survey conducted by the Department of Transportation found that 10 percent of locals and 27 percent of visitors to the Big Apple find themselves lost in City Seeks New Signs to Help Residents and Tourists Find Their Way Around [DNAinfo]
Midtown Designer Seeks to Simplify the Subway Map
Eddie Jabbour wants to sell the MTA a new, better subway map — for just $1 a year. Jabbour, who runs a design and branding company in Midtown, spent three years creating his map, which he believes is easier to navigate and more accurate than any other the MTA has ever used. [DNAinfo]
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