New font for National Park Service signs

[Jar Jar Blinks]

I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on its road
signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS will use a font
called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an example at
http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml. I personally
like it.

[Jeff Carlyle]

Post by Jar Jar Blinks
I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on
its road signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS
will use a font called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an
example at http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml.
I personally like it.

God, that sucker is horrid. Why can't the NPS just use standard highway
fonts?

[Dick Margulis]

Post by Jeff Carlyle

Post by Jar Jar Blinks
I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on
its road signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS
will use a font called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an
example at http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml.
I personally like it.

God, that sucker is horrid. Why can't the NPS just use standard highway
fonts?

Gee, Jeff, why don't you tell us what you really think?

Look, first of all, standard highway signage minimizes character count,
with lots of abbreviations (often obscure to first-time travelers in an
area), and as little information as possible (the name of a town, a
route number). The Park Service generally needs to be able to convey
longer messages, and they are generally afforded smaller signs on which
to do so (by regulation, not by budget). So they need something that has
high legibility and high character count simultaneously. Give them
credit for doing the research.

Second, while the sample shows letterspacing that would be unacceptable
in print applications, the issue is readability at 65 mph, not
readability on a book page. The same argument applies to the general
thickness of serifs and other features.

I say kudos to the Park Service for putting some thought into this.

[road warrior]

Post by Jeff Carlyle

Post by Jar Jar Blinks
I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on
its road signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS
will use a font called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an
example at http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml.
I personally like it.

God, that sucker is horrid. Why can't the NPS just use standard highway
fonts?

Shit, I LOVE Clarendon! I wish that regular signs to state parks used
it, too. I guess is the most stupid thing to come along since
Clearview. Sounds like politics to me :(

[Jet Wood]

Post by Jar Jar Blinks
I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on its road
signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS will use a font
called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an example at
http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml. I personally
like it.

Then you'll probably like Plantin as well, since that seems to be the
inspiration for this font.

That being the case, since to get from Plantin to Rawlinson, "some of
the subtle typographic detailing has been removed" comparing the two
might indicate what they actually mean by "subtle typographic detailing"

[belowme]

I like it, looks very cear and understandable.

Post by Jar Jar Blinks
I don't know if anyone has brought this up in this newsgroup, but the
National Park Service has apparently ditched the Clarendon font on its road
signs. According to the Terminal Design website, the NPS will use a font
called "Rawlinson Roadway." The company has an example at
http://www.terminaldesign.com/custom_road_rawlinson.shtml. I personally
like it.