Muni’s Yellow Pole Markings at Transit Stops Will Be Replaced By Real Signs

The days of Muni stops marked with no visual cue except a utility pole with yellow paint and black stenciled letters are coming to an end.

As part of the Muni Forward upgrades launching this weekend, the SFMTA will raise the standard for signage at every stop. At the very least, every stop will include a “flag” sign that lists the complete name of Muni routes that serve it, as well as their terminal stops and major destinations along the way.

“We’re really tuned into signage throughout the system,” Muni Forward manager Julie Kirschbaum told Streetsblog. “Even stops that don’t have shelters will have a flag.”

It’s a good step toward a more legible, easy-to-navigate Muni, especially for a system that’s relied on so heavily by tourists.

Even some pretty significant Muni stops lack basic visual cues. Take, for example, the inbound stop for the 30-Stockton at Laguna and Chestnut Streets in the Marina (pictured above). You might not guess from looking at it, but it’s the main transfer point for tourists headed downtown from the Golden Gate Bridge, connecting from the 28-19th Avenue. Many times I’ve taken that trip, only to watch the busload of map-toting passengers disembark and walk toward the nearest stop that has a shelter — going in the wrong direction. (I usually point them in the right direction, toward the empty-looking corner.)

The SFMTA has already started to roll out a batch of wayfinding upgrades to help orient Muni riders, including a new, more legible Muni map (though the maps are not always oriented correctly themselves).