Center City District Debuts New Wayfinding for FIFA & Beyond
15 large standalone signs serve summer visitors and signal a coming transformation of the network of signage CCD has managed for 30 years
Contact
JoAnn Loviglio, 215.440.5500, pr@centercityphila.org
PHILADELPHIA (June 25, 2026) — New directional signs are helping hundreds of thousands of national and international visitors explore Philadelphia this summer, while offering a preview of an upcoming overhaul to Center City’s wayfinding network.
Center City District (CCD) has installed 15 map-based informational signs along the Market Street corridor and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, guiding visitors to this summer’s soccer, baseball and Semiquincentennial destinations. CCD’s community service representatives have distributed more than 25,000 companion maps throughout the event period.
“What you see this summer across Center City is our proof of concept,” CCD President and CEO Prema Katari Gupta said. “It is helping visitors find their way while reflecting Philadelphia’s standing as a world-class city with the most walkable downtown in America.”
In 1997, CCD launched Philadelphia’s expansive downtown wayfinding network and today manages more than 1,000 directional and informational signs. But the system predates smartphones, ride-sharing and today’s multimodal transportation options and no longer meets modern readability and accessibility standards. With the core downtown population up 57% since 2000, the need for an update is clear.
CCD, working with Visit Philadelphia, selected wayfinding consultancy City ID to develop a comprehensive downtown system over the next three years. Modeled on the influential Legible London network, the redesign will replace the current patchwork with 88 strategically placed signs near major walking routes and key transit stops.
The system is designed to meet modern accessibility and universal design standards, with scaled typography, optimized color contrast and formats legible and reachable for all users. Insights gathered this summer on placement, design and usage will directly shape the look and feel of the permanent system.
Good wayfinding also pays off economically: CCD’s 1997 surveys found businesses near the original signs saw a 12% sales increase, and 65% of visitors said the signs encouraged them to explore more. The new system will also support broader city goals, aligning with SEPTA’s and PATCO’s transit plans and the Vision Zero Action Plan’s Complete Streets principles.
For more information, visit the Wayfinding page.
Photos of the wayfinding system can be found here.
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Center City District, partner to property owners and downtown stakeholders, is the steward and advocate for a clean, safe and thriving Center City Philadelphia. Find us at www.centercityphila.org.
