City installs new wayfinding signs downtown

Ireland Sargent | Staff Reporter

SAN MARCOS — The city of San Marcos has installed wayfinding signs throughout the downtown area to enable easier navigation for pedestrians. 

The Downtown Manager for the City of San Marcos, Josie Falletta, said the signs are there to help residents and visitors orient themselves while visiting Downtown San Marcos and can utilize a QR code function for those who are more tech-savvy. 

“Both residents and visitors can use the signs to orient themselves, find locations of downtown parks, museums, parking and scan the QR code to learn more about downtown businesses and events,” Falletta said. “When scanned, the QR code links to the DowntownSMTX.com visitor website, which features information about downtown businesses and events.” 

The sign encompasses many unique features for pedestrians to acknowledge and utilize when walking around downtown or near the river. 

“The signs feature directional information, public parking, parks, and cultural institutions and the Mermaid Capital logo designed by Communications,” Falletta said. 

Colton Stephens, 20, a three-year resident of San Marcos, said the signs are going to assist new students and visitors with navigation, as the city can be complex. 

“I think the new signs will be helpful for those who are first visiting San Marcos because the city can be confusing sometimes,” Stephens said. “When I first moved here, I noticed that it was a very complicated city to get around with its random one-ways and streets that you can’t access.” 

Stephens believes the QR code will be useful as many have become accustomed to using this function in restaurants and other locations since the Coronavirus began. 

“I think the QR code function is a good idea because many of us have become used to this in restaurants to find the menu and do other things,” Stephens said. “I mean everyone has a smartphone in their pocket, so if you can just scan the code and continue walking that’s great.”

According to Falletta, the wayfinding signs were designed by Convention and Visitor Bureau staff with collaborative input from the Downtown Design Task Force, which includes both citizens and city staff. 

“The signs were created as part of Main Street’s ongoing placemaking initiatives to beautify downtown and make it more appealing for all downtown visitors,” Falletta said. 

For all things San Marcos visit, https://www.visitsanmarcos.com/downtown/.