I was okay through the first paragraph of the story. Downtown Raleigh needs to update its signs for drivers and pedestrians. Some are outdated; some are confusing. Sure. I’d like that. Go for it.
But then came the second paragraph. The city paid a consultant $200,000 “to come up with recommendations and design signs for its ‘way-finding’
capital improvement project. The firm, Corbin Design of Traverse City,
Mich., proposed navy blue and white signs with an oak leaf motif to
guide people — in cars and on foot — to downtown attractions and
parking.”
And then came the third and fourth and fifth paragraphs that detailed the additional recommendations. These gems included: (1) don’t call the Beltline I-440; (2) don’t call it the inner or outer Beltline, just east- or westbound; (3) make one-way streets two-way since they “can intimidate newcomers”; and (4) give parking decks “distinctive names” so people can remember where they parked.
Wow. $200,000 worth of wow. I need to get into this consulting gig.
