435 Hamilton Street  
Allentown, Pa. 18101  
Allentown  
Minutes - Final  
Public Works Committee  
Wednesday, May 17, 2023  
6:15 PM  
Council Chambers  
Roll Call: Chair Zucal, Santos, Hendricks  
Wayfinding Presentation  
Ms. Vicky Kistler stated that she knows that this is the Public Works  
committee and the CEDC staff. The Wayfinding Study started in CED, but  
being implemented by Public Works.  
Mr. Mark Hartney stated that they have their consultants KMA on the line.  
Ms. Gwen representing KMA. There are several staff waiting to be let into  
the call.  
Mr. Mark Hartney stated hi Dave and hi Barbara Martin (CEO).  
Ms. Gwen asked if Mr. Hanlon can share his screen.  
Mr. Mark Hartney stated that this project started before he started before  
he was with the city. The purpose was to find a Wayfinding strategy for the  
city. The focus has become how do we get people to the parking  
downtown. The city has been working with KMA Design. He is not sure  
when the contract started. He stated that Meredith Keller has been the  
lead. She inherited this project a month or two after she started.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that the project did start in January 2022. They  
had a change in personnel and made great strides going forward so it can  
go out for bid. She talked about the downtown area flowed correctly in  
regards to traffic. Thye had to create an inventory. She went through the  
task and the breath of work they create. She went over the location map for  
signage. There are a variety of them. Each map has a photograph.  
Establishing the destination. Developing primary location, secondary and  
tertiary location. Signs have limitation on how much information can be  
displayed.  
Mr. David Scott discussed the planning aspects and how to proceed on  
next steps. He led the boots on ground efforts and had a pretty good  
review of the city with directional signs, pull to parking or boundary. They  
did an analysis. They brought fresh eyes to the effort. They were not overly  
familiar with the city. Step 1: Fully comprehensive inventory of what  
existed and what belongs to Allentown. They went through and tried to  
explore the signage. Step 2: Begin to look at how to skin the cat and  
message in terms of signage and where to locate them and where are they  
necessary. Create breadcrumb trails.  
Ms. Barabara Martin asked Joanna to go to the next slide to help identify  
some of the amount of work that was used. She stated that Dave just talked  
about it being a series of projects. The Parking Project, the Vehicular and  
the Pedestrian.  
Mr. David Scott stated while they were looking at this logically. This is one  
plan and there are five in total for the entire city. They beginning to  
decipher in two efforts. One effort is the design. The other side of this  
puzzle is messaging. Try to define the science of it. Where do things go?  
What do they say? he stated that they will see a location plan.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that what they created was a complete sign  
family.  
Mr. David Scott stated that parking needed to be separated from  
Wayfinding to destinations. They created a Sister Program. They stayed  
focused on routing to the various garages which has its own identification  
on the front.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that all the parking lots were included in this.  
Mr. David Scott stated that they identified those owned by the Parking  
Authority. It is part of the routing. The routing also includes private efforts  
because they will be located within that rectangle and still be able to  
function as necessary.  
Ms. Barbara Martin talked about the sign types. Some of the have  
information at the bottom if it requires (Community Deck). It indicates  
larger signs with directional arrows to help circulate. It makes it easier.  
Mr. David Scott stated that signs where shared with the Parking Authority.  
They were onboard with the efforts, the locations and the look.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that there was a series of pedestrian signs that  
are to assist. It would provide a digital display or static map.  
Mr. David Scott stated as you exit garages or have them primary areas of a  
flattop lot. Information is there for the downtown corridor. It does allow all  
the businesses in the community to have the information on it.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that the signs are quite simplistic and standout  
within the landscape of the city.  
Mr. Mark Hartney stated that there are some time constraints and if KMA  
Designs can wrap it up in the next two minutes.  
Ms. Barbara Martin stated that they developed sign types that would work  
in various areas districts. Based on the color pallet to highlight particular  
districts. These are wayfinding signs or vehicular directional. Each one  
would have a color coded banner based on the district they are located in  
with a maximum of three messages. At the entrances of Center City, there  
are large pile-ons that they propose that will announce that you have arrived  
in that area on both sides of Center City. At entrances into Allentown from  
other locations outside of the boundaries, they created a main gateway  
series of signs. She concluded the entire design presentation and gives  
them a good look at what they did from a global perspective.  
Mr. Ed Zucal asked if there were any questions from the dais or the public.  
Allentown Exterior Wayfinding Construction Documents  
15-5901  
Attachments: Wayfinding_Presentation FV  
Adjournment: 6:35 PM