In this image, sample designs for the city’s new wayfinding signs are at left, while the current sign designs are on the right.
The Palm Desert City Council on Thursday moved forward with plans for a new citywide wayfinding system — the signs along major streets that direct visitors to key attractions.
The proposed system would replace the city’s existing purple and maroon signs with a new palette of orange and yellow designed to evoke desert sunsets and the surrounding mountains. City officials, along with multiple commissions and subcommittees, have spent more than two years evaluating how best to guide visitors through Palm Desert.
Under the new plan, the city will adopt a “less is more” strategy, particularly along El Paseo, where officials hope fewer signs will encourage visitors to linger longer in the business district. The total number of signs would be reduced from 67 to 51 — a cut of about 25% — largely by eliminating signs on El Paseo and removing signs that point to only a single destination.
Destinations are categorized as either “primary” or “secondary,” with primary destinations appearing more frequently on signage. El Paseo, McCallum Theatre and College of the Desert are tied as the most frequently listed destinations, with 23 mentions each. Other primary destinations include the Civic Center (22), The Living Desert Zoo (18), UCR (10), CSUSB (9) and Desert Willow (9).
Secondary destinations include Cholla Hills Park, other city parks and the Joslyn Center.
The council unanimously approved the signage plan with two conditions. The city’s signage subcommittee will explore alternative names for the Civic Center that better reflect the amenities located there, including the aquatic center, library and park. In addition, the council directed staff to include the San Pablo corridor in the wayfinding plan.