Brief Description: Using pictograms in transportation signs.

Sponsors: By House Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Representatives Hudgins, Jarrett, Sommers, Bailey, Morris, Strow, Nixon, Kenney, Hasegawa, Lantz, Flannigan, Santos, Murray, Wood, Upthegrove, Dickerson, B. Sullivan, Schual-Berke, Cody, Pettigrew, Conway, Simpson, Woods, McIntire, Kagi, Chase, Tom, Morrell and Kilmer).

House Committee on Transportation
Senate Committee on Transportation

Background:

Federal, state and local laws and policies govern the signage required on many transportation facilities.

In most instances, the signage used to locate major transportation facilities employs internationally accepted symbols and the Roman alphabet. Similarly, urban rail systems use the Roman alphabet to identify stations. Languages using a different symbol set, into which Sound Transit translates some ridership information, include Thai, Khmer, Korean and Chinese. Transit systems in the cities of Calgary and Mexico City, among others, use pictograms to provide a simple visual designation of a rail station stop or activities near the transit station.

Summary:

Sound Transit and the Seattle Monorail Authority are to incorporate in plans for stations signing easily understood by the traveling public, including non-English speaking persons. The signage must employ graphics consistent with international guidelines and programs and must also employ pictograms as a means to identify stations. The sign requirements are intended to apply to new signing and replacement of existing signs.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   46   0

Effective: July 24, 2005