By Matthew Criswell
Fresno State is getting a facelift as construction continues on the universities signage — part of the near million-dollar Wayfinding Signage Program.
The first phase of the Wayfinding Program began in the summer of 2013 and the project is close to being finished.
The purpose of the signage program is to put up signs around campus to guide Fresno State visitors, as well as create gateways at three of the entrances to campus. These gateways will be located on the corners of Shaw and Maple, Shaw and Cedar, and Cedar and Barstow avenues. The signage at Cedar Avenue incorporating new Fresno State Seal.
“The wayfinding signs are meant to help visitors to our campus easily navigate parking and find buildings and landmarks,” said Christopher Vieira, administrative project coordinator.
All of the signs will also reflect the new parking lot designation.
“All external and internal communications should be updated to reflect the new parking lot designations, so visitors will be able to easily find appropriate parking and direction to events hosted on campus,” said Cynthia Teniente-Matson, vice president for administration and chief financial officer of Fresno State.
Before the project began, it was reviewed and approved by the Campus Planning Committee and the Integrated Marketing and Communications Council.
The sign that is currently at the entrance of Shaw and Cedar avenues is a veterans memorial, and it is to be relocated to the Allen Lew Memorial Grove near the Fresno State Rose Garden. Ceremonial pins will be included in the new display.
A large monument is to be built at the Shaw and Maple avenues entrance.
“Shaw and Maple is our most popular entrance,” Vieira said, “So we are building a monument of our Fresno State logo. This is to help increase awareness of our brand.”
When the project is complete, there will be 850 new signs built around Fresno State. This phase of the project is projected to cost $994,000. That includes all of the signs and the gateways being put up.
The funding for this project comes from various sources including deferred maintenance, the risk pool and parking fees.
Fresno State students have mixed opinions2 on the new signs around campus. Fresno State student Lindsey Ramos thinks the money could have been used elsewhere.
“I don’t think they are being done very well because no one really notices them,” Ramos said. “I have to pay to park after I spend almost $3,000 in tuition, but they can afford to pay for signs that are useless to us?”
Other students, however, believe that the new signs are the next necessary step in improving Fresno State.
“I think it’s that one little step needed to get our campus to the next level,” Daniel Macatee said.
Maddie McGuire believes the new signs are helpful to campus newcomers.
“I think they are great,” she said. “When I came here my freshman semester, I couldn’t find anything. So I believe they are very helpful to incoming students as well as people visiting.”
For more information on the Wayfinding Signage Program, contact Tom Gaffery, the project lead, or watch the Wayfinding Videos posted on youtube.