Located along the Erie Canal in NW New York, the Village of Fairport is a historic community that attracts visitors year-round. Its popular Canal Days Festival sees nearly one hundred thousand visitors annually.

Fairport was experiencing an issue managing visitor navigation. With numerous parking lots, there was no clear wayfinding in place to guide visitors to the area’s restaurants, bars, and shops.

ID Signsystems was asked to solve the visitor wayfinding dilemma.

The wayfinding solution: freestanding visitor kiosks

We began the project by conducting a best practice study to look at how other towns had resolved similar scenarios. We worked with a top urban wayfinding consultant to analyze the approach and make recommendations. A cloud-based photo survey was conducted to interview town officials, local business owners, and residents about their preferences.

We then prepared a conceptual design for the freestanding kiosk. Thorough data collection from each local business ensured accurate map and directory design. The design allows maps to be updated as local venues change.

The result is six freestanding kiosks placed at key pedestrian exit points from each main parking lot across the Village. Each kiosk includes complete mapping and walking information to guide visitors to their destinations.

This initiative came together through collaboration with Craig Berger, one of the country’s top trail and wayfinding specialists. Craig serves as a consultant to IDS, providing his expertise and guidance on various parks and trails projects.