Signage Plan

Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Background The Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard provides planned direction for a standardized approach in developing and installing signage in the Northumberland County Forest.

In situations where signage can help, goals of the signage standard are: • • • • • • • • • •

Improve accessibility for all people; Manage risk including preventing injury, property damage and conflict; Protect natural and cultural heritage; Provide consistency in messaging, design and installation; Provide visitors with important information; Improve trail user experiences; Improve navigability of the trail network; Provide efficiency in design, procurement, installation and maintenance; Avoid over signage and sign pollution; Mitigate legal exposure and liability.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Table of Contents Background ..................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................... 5 1.1. Principles ............................................................................................................ 5 1.2. Signage Guidance ............................................................................................... 6 1.3. Prohibited Use .................................................................................................... 6

2.0 Risk Management and Legislation .............................................................. 7 2.1. Occupiers’ Liability Act ....................................................................................... 7 2.2. Trespass to Property Act .................................................................................... 8 2.3. Posting Risk Management Signage .................................................................... 9 2.4. Other Organizations’ signage ........................................................................... 10

3.0 Fabrication ............................................................................................... 10 3.1. Backing materials ............................................................................................. 11 3.2. Colours ............................................................................................................. 11 3.3. Visibility ............................................................................................................ 12 3.3.a. Retroreflectivity ............................................................................................... 12

3.4. Protective coverings ......................................................................................... 12 3.5. Sizes .................................................................................................................. 13 3.6. Logos ................................................................................................................ 13 3.6.a. County Forest Logo.......................................................................................... 14 3.6.b. County (corporate) Logo ................................................................................. 14 3.6.c. Other Organization logo .................................................................................. 14

3.7. Text ................................................................................................................... 14 3.8. Symbology – Use Icons ..................................................................................... 15 3.9. Symbology – Trail Markers ............................................................................... 16 3.10. Sign Conversions to meet Standards ............................................................. 17

4.0 Location and installation .......................................................................... 18 4.10.a. Location and Height ...................................................................................... 18 4.10.b. Angle ............................................................................................................. 20 4.10.c. Supports......................................................................................................... 20 4.10.d. Securement ................................................................................................... 21 4.10.e. Typical sign support arrangements ............................................................... 21

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard 4.11. Advance Placement Distance ......................................................................... 24 4.12. Minimum Spacing........................................................................................... 25 4.13. Trail Crossings/Intersections .......................................................................... 26 4.14. Trailhead Kiosks.............................................................................................. 28

5.0 Wayfinding and General Use Signage ........................................................ 30 5.1. Parking Entrance .............................................................................................. 30 5.2. Trailhead Maps ................................................................................................. 31 5.3. Map kiosks/Map Shelters ................................................................................. 32 5.4. Etiquette and Information Signs ...................................................................... 33 5.5. Trail Access Information ................................................................................... 34 5.6. Emergency Location Markers ........................................................................... 40 5.6.a. Revised Location Markers ............................................................................... 41

5.7. Recurring Sign Templates ................................................................................. 42 5.8. Trail markers..................................................................................................... 43 5.8.a. Trail Marker Directionality .............................................................................. 44 5.8.b. Main Markers (Confirmation) ......................................................................... 44 5.8.c. Main Markers with Distances .......................................................................... 44 5.8.d. Guidance Markers ........................................................................................... 45 5.8.e. Confidence (Assurance) Markers ..................................................................... 47 5.8.f. Beagle Club Ski Trail Markers ........................................................................... 49 5.8.g. Beagle Club Roads ........................................................................................... 52

5.9. Distance markers.............................................................................................. 54 5.9.a. General Distance Marker ................................................................................ 54 5.9.b. Rest Area ......................................................................................................... 55

5.10. General Information Signs ............................................................................. 57 5.11. Interpretive/Educational Signs ....................................................................... 58

6.0 Regulatory, Warning and Information Signs .............................................. 59 6.1. Temporary Regulatory Signage ........................................................................ 59 6.2. Permitted Use Signs ......................................................................................... 59 6.3. General Warning Signs ..................................................................................... 59 6.3.a. Trailhead Risk Management Signs .................................................................. 61

6.4. Distance Tab ..................................................................................................... 63 6.5. Next Distance Tab ............................................................................................ 64 6.6. Stop Signs ......................................................................................................... 64 6.7. Yield .................................................................................................................. 66

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard 6.8. Stop Ahead ....................................................................................................... 67 6.9. Yield Ahead....................................................................................................... 68 6.10. Road Crossing ................................................................................................. 69 6.11. Trail Crossings................................................................................................. 70 6.12. Motorized Trail Crossing Yield Sign ................................................................ 72 6.13. Parking Lot Laneway Crossing ........................................................................ 72 6.14. Speed Limit ..................................................................................................... 73 6.15. Corner directional warning arrow .................................................................. 74 6.16. Slow ................................................................................................................ 75 6.17. Trail Ends ........................................................................................................ 76 6.18. Two-way traffic/Narrow Trail ......................................................................... 77 6.19. Do Not Enter................................................................................................... 78 6.19.a. Do Not Enter Stylized Original ....................................................................... 78 6.19.b. Do Not Enter Stylized Revised ....................................................................... 79 6.19.c. Non-stylized (Standard) ................................................................................. 80

7.0 Inventory, Inspection, and Replacement ................................................... 81 7.1. Signage Inventory ............................................................................................. 81 7.2. Signage Inspection ........................................................................................... 81 7.3. Trailhead Kiosk Inspections .............................................................................. 82 7.4. Retroreflectivity inspections ............................................................................ 83 7.5. Replacement .................................................................................................... 83

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

1.0 Introduction A standardized signage system is a means of creating consistent and coherent design including messaging and imaging, construction, and installation.

Trail signage must be harmonious with the natural environment as well as visible and providing adequate information. Signs should not overwhelm the trail in complexity or number.

Too many signs deter from the trail experience and compete for the attention of the user. A balance must be reached between providing adequate signage for users to find their way or provide information while avoiding sign pollution and tension with natural aesthetics.

Providing trail signage assumes responsibility for their long-term management which will require ensuring that County-produced and installed trail signs are consistently produced and maintained in good order. Most current signage conforms to this plan, but where it does not, staff will continue to retrofit existing signage. This retrofit will require multiple years to complete due to limited financial and labour resources.

1.1. Principles The general guiding principles for the Northumberland County Forest signage standard are: •

• •

Signage is provided as an aid to navigation, provide administrative notifications and support recreational trail safety; however, they are not the exclusive source of information for planning and navigation. o It is expected that trail users are prepared for visiting natural areas and recreational trails and that they have assumed responsibility for their navigation and safety. This includes having additional methods of wayfinding and having the ability to recognize natural and inherent dangers of recreational trails, recreational activities, and natural areas.

Standardization and visual identity are key.

Avoid over-signing and sign congestion. o Work with user groups that have signs in the forest (OFSC, NDATV, ORTA) to reduce signage pollution.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • • • • •

Simple, clear, concise, and familiar wording.

Positive messaging whenever possible.

Use symbology whenever possible to reduce wording and improve accessibility and universality.

Place most important messaging first or by itself.

Ensure that mapping at trailheads and print material is consistent with signage.

There is a difference between signing recreational trails and road signage and that the general intent and procedures of signing recreational trails is different from highway traffic signage. Flexibility and tolerance for variability must be allowed throughout including materials (especially backing and fabrication materials), installation including location and method and design. Despite some signage in this plan being similar or uniform with road signage, this does not assume that recreational trails are the same as public highways, but was chosen to improve recognition and understanding of messaging.

1.2. Signage Guidance These standards cannot provide solutions or direction for every signage need. Staff judgment will often be needed to find solutions in design, messaging or installation, but the general intent and principles of these standards should be followed as guidance.

Standardization is a key characteristic of this plan, but should not inhibit improvements to the signage proposed in this plan, especially if they support the goals or principles.

Some signage may be very similar to stock signage available from manufacturers that could be cheaper and acquired faster. If there are minor differences between a sign design suggested in this document and a sign that is available that provides a resource or efficiency benefit, that stock sign will be considered suitable.

1.3. Prohibited Use The Northumberland County Forest has seasonal changes in use that are regulated in County By-Laws. During a period of non-permitted uses (e.g., winter closure for ATVs, Off-road motorcycles, mountain bikes, hikers, or equestrians), the County will not be responsible for meeting any guidelines or provide any signage related to those activities.

Any use contrary to County By-Laws is prohibited and unwanted and the user is assuming all risks and responsibilities in acting illegally and the County is not responsible for providing measures that support the illegal use. Maintaining signage that supports or informs illegal use would result in confusion or give the false impression that the seasonal changes are not being implemented or enforced. Given the principle of positive messaging, signage and information will be provided for the permitted uses.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

2.0 Risk Management and Legislation The Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard will help manage the County’s exposure to risk. The standard provides an opportunity to ensure that signage in the County Forest is well-planned and considerations are given to their design and installation, therefore demonstrating a duty of care to Forest users. As well, a signage plan helps maintain a visual identity throughout the Forest so that users recognize the signage, have a better understanding or intuition of what to expect and have confirmation that they are on County Forest land/trails.

There are two key pieces of provincial legislation that apply to risk management and signage planning: • •

Occupiers’ Liability Act (RSO 1990, c.O.2) Trespass to Property Act (RSO 1990, c.T.21)

2.1. Occupiers’ Liability Act Northumberland County must reasonably care for County lands for the safety of visitors.

Visitors, however, are not absolved of responsibility as they are willingly assuming risks when entering the County Forest recreational area. This is set out in Section 4(3): “A person who enters premises described in subsection (4) shall be deemed to have willingly assumed all risks and is subject to the duty of care set out in subsection (1), (a) where the entry is prohibited under the Trespass to Property Act; (b) where the occupier has posted no notice in respect of entry and has not otherwise expressly permitted entry; or (c) where the entry is for the purpose of a recreational activity and, (i) no fee is paid for the entry or activity of the person, other than a benefit or payment received from a government or government agency or a non-profit recreation club or association” As County Forest visitors will generally be on the property for the purpose of recreational activities (s.4(3)(c)) and some may be on the property under s.4(3)(a) [ see Trespass to Property Act below], they will have willingly assumed all risks and are subject to the duty of care (s.4(1)): “The duty of care provided for in subsection 3 (1) does not apply in respect of risks willingly assumed by the person who enters on the premises, but in that case the occupier owes a duty to the person to not create a danger with the deliberate intent of doing harm or damage to the person or his or her property and to not act with reckless disregard of the presence of the person or his or her property.”

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard For greater certainty, the Occupiers’ Liability Act explains that premises referred to in s.4(3) include (s.4(4); only relevant clauses shown): • • • • • • •

a rural premises that is, used for agricultural purposes, including land under cultivation, orchards, pastures, woodlots and farm ponds, vacant or undeveloped premises, forested or wilderness premises; utility rights-of-way and corridors, excluding structures located thereon; unopened road allowances; recreational trails reasonably marked by notice as such

The intent, preparation and execution of signage standards planning demonstrates that the County is not acting with reckless disregard, but making reasonable attempts to care for the users where possible and undertaking management activities to improve visitor safety. Furthermore, it identifies that “recreational trails” should be reasonably marked as such; therefore, that wording is included in the signage planning.

2.2. Trespass to Property Act The Northumberland County Forest will take a positive approach to permitted use signage using the Limited Permission approach. Where a use is not indicated by symbology on a sign at the entrance to the trail it will be considered a prohibited trail use despite any other uses of prohibition signage throughout the rest of the Forest.

Under the Trespass to Property Act, the application of Limited Permission is allowed for regulatory signage. The Trespass to Property Act states (s.4(1)): “Where notice is given that one or more particular activities are permitted, all other activities and entry for the purpose are prohibited and any additional notice that entry is prohibited or a particularly activity is prohibited on the same premises shall be construed to be for greater certainty only.”

Similarly, however, there is a reciprocal Limited Prohibition (s.4(2)): “Where entry is not prohibited under section 3 or by notice that one or more particular activities are permitted under subsection (1), and notice is given that a particular activity is prohibited, that activity and entry for the purpose is prohibited and all other activities and entry for the purpose are not prohibited.”

To give notice of permissions, notice can be given: “by means of signs posted so that a sign is clearly visible in daylight under normal conditions from the approach to each ordinary point of access to the premises to which it applies; or” (5(1).b)

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard “by means of the marking system set out in section 7.” (s.5(1).c) And this can be done through: “A sign naming an activity or showing a graphic representation of an activity is sufficient for the purpose of giving notice that the activity is permitted.” (s.6(1)) To show prohibited activities: “A sign naming an activity with an oblique line drawn through the name or showing a graphic representation of an activity with an oblique line drawn through the representation is sufficient for the purpose of giving notice that the activity is prohibited.” (s.6(2)) As well, a marking of a circle 10cm in diameter that is yellow is: “sufficient for the purpose of giving notice that entry is prohibited except for the purpose of certain activities and shall be deemed to be notice of the activities permitted.” (s.7(2)) To post these notices: “Markings under this section shall be so placed that a marking is clearly visible in daylight under normal conditions from the approach to each ordinary point of access to the premises to which it applies.” (s.7(4)).

Where a use is designated as prohibited by a circle with an oblique line, it will be considered to provide additional certainty only, especially where regular prohibited trail use is being observed by staff or in locations where there may be a higher risk of prohibited trail use.

Hunting will be excluded from Limited Permission signage as the permitted use signage is focused on allowed trail uses and hunting is prohibited on trails and including it with other trail uses on signage could cause misunderstood messaging.

2.3. Posting Risk Management Signage General warning, etiquette, regulatory or informational signage will be posted at trailheads as they are the ordinary, developed, and organized points of access for Forest users. Parking lot signage and trailhead kiosks demarcate trailhead locations. Trailheads are the main points of contact between forest management and the trail users. Forest users are discouraged from parking elsewhere and staff discusses this with the user if they are found parking elsewhere. Posting general signage that is intended for trailheads at other locations would give the appearance that a location is a suitable

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard parking location, but they are not maintained for parking and installing signage that could provide a confusing message that encourages their use as parking areas.

2.4. Other Organizations’ signage All signage and markings owned and/or installed by other organizations and relating to their wayfinding and regulations and not those of the County, will be the responsibility of the organization that installed them. The signage will follow their guidelines and policies for construction, installation, and inspection.

Signage for designated snowmobile trails is installed and maintained by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) and/or their local club, the Great Pine Ridge Snowmobile Association (GPRSA). The Northumberland and District ATV Riders Association (NDATV) have directional signage for their larger regional loops that use County Forest trails. The Oak Ridges Trail Association has blazes along the section of the Oak Ridges Trail that passes through the Forest.

The County of Northumberland takes no responsibility for the standards, policies, procedures, condition, messaging, maintenance, or any other aspect of another organization’s signage. Any organization installing signage in the Northumberland County Forest must have express approval to do so. Such signage shall be governed by their organization’s policies and procedures and must not contradict any of the County’s regulations or policies or provincial or federal regulations. Furthermore, the County of Northumberland does not need to adhere to another organizations’ standards as there may be differences in the reasoning for decision-making.

The signage of these organizations shall be secondary to any County signage and the County may request the removal or covering of signage, especially when confusing messaging or safety is a concern (e.g., 50km/hr snowmobile signage during summer).

3.0 Fabrication Typically, signage will be digitally printed vinyl or cut vinyl laminated onto a metal or plastic blank. As signs are printed or vinyl and the ink or material may come from different manufacturers or distributors, there can be some colour variation (especially as signage is not constructed by a single supplier but may be procured from multiple vendors based on the County’s procurement by-laws and policies). The intent of colour standards is to have the colours identified and used in the design of the signs. If through the printing, sign-making process or material limitations, the colour has a slight variation, but meets the intent of the original colour, it will be considered acceptable.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Some regulatory signage will be standard signage from the transportation sector. This type of signage is generally off-the-shelf and may have slight differences in colouration (i.e., different hues) despite being the same general colour (e.g., red). In addition to differences in colour, there may be different materials and production methods such as paint, powder coating, enamel or decals. To maintain consistency with standard signage encountered elsewhere (e.g., stop signs) and where cost savings can be realized by using an off-the-shelf solution, then those signs will be acceptable.

3.1. Backing materials The backing material of the sign should reflect: • • • •

The permanency of the sign The potential for vandalism Special construction or mounting considerations Cost

Although there may be applications where a different material is used, in general the following materials and guidance (Table 1) will be used as backing: Table 1. Typical materials used as backing for signs.

Material Aluminum

HDPE (polyethylene)

Typical Use • Preferred • Wayfinding • Regulatory or Warning • Permanent/semi-permanent • Temporary/ semi-permanent

Galvanized Steel

• • •

Wayfinding Regulatory or Warning Permanent/semi-permanent

Aluminum Composite (e.g., alupanel)

•

Permanent/ Temporary/ semi-permanent

Additional Information • Rear side of sign may be white, black, or noncovered metal.

• Rounded corners • Rear side typically black • Easily vandalized • Curves/bends easily • Rear side of sign may be white, black, or noncovered metal.

• Rounded corners • Rear side of sign may be white, black or noncovered metal.

• Rounded corners

3.2. Colours The following are the standard colours for preparing signage (Table 2) and are intended to be the basic colours for signage and templates. Colours identified in the standard do not apply to any of the artwork on wayfinding or informational signage.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Table 2. Colour standards for Northumberland County Forest signage not including artwork.

Colour Black Blue (sign background) Blue (logos) Green (logos) Light Blue Orange Red White Yellow (corporate) Yellow (warning)

C 0 100

M 0 89

Y 0 24

K 100 19

R 30 31

G 30 53

B 30 110

PantoneÂŽ Black

100 52 100 0 0 0 0

45 0 94 55 100 0 30

0 100 28 100 75 0 100

6 12 23 0 4 0 0

0 112 1 225 198 255 253

110 171 33 121 12 255 185

182 55 104 0 48 255 19

653C or 300U 362C or 376U

0

10

100

0

254

185

0

109C

151C 186C 124C or 7405U

3.3. Visibility The goal is to have signs visible under normal daylight conditions. Some signs may be designed or have components such as retroreflectivity that improve their visibility in the dark.

3.3.a. Retroreflectivity Unless otherwise stated, where a sign requires retroreflective materials, the material shall at a minimum conform to the American Society for the Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard for retroreflective sheeting – Type 1 (Engineering Grade). Reflectivity is defined in the design of signs that must meet retroreflectivity standards. Reflectivity can be achieved by cutting reflective vinyl and laminating the cut pieces, or by a specialized process that prints directly on reflective materials.

Because of incorporating reflectivity, some signs may have colours that slightly differ from the guidelines in these standards. Where reflectivity is required and custom colouring is not available or reasonable, the nearest colour to the standard will be used.

3.4. Protective coverings Vinyl print has demonstrated the ability to withstand exposure in the Forest, but a protective covering will help with ensuring longevity as it provides protection against elements such as weathering and ultraviolet light as well as damage from transport, installation, vandalism and wildlife. A protective covering can help when cleaning is required.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard A polycarbonate laminate will be applied to the exterior of vinyl printed signs. Existing vinyl printed signs will remain as they are; laminate will only be applied to new signs when they are being replaced and that have not been fabricated as of the date of this plan’s approval. Polycarbonate laminate will be 3 mil thickness as a minimum, but there may be circumstances where 5mil or 10mil are more appropriate.

The appearance of colour such as brightness or saturation as well as ambient light reflection may be minorly affected because of the covering. Any effect on colour resulting from a protective covering will be considered acceptable as the benefits of improving the durability, longevity, reduced long-term costs and improved probability that the sign will be there for a user outweighs any minor change to colour.

Signs installed in trailhead and on-trail kiosks will generally be printed on paper and may be laminated depending on how long they are expected to be in place.

Signs that are purchased as pre-manufactured stock signage may not have polycarbonate cover and therefore are acceptable for the benefit of efficient use of resources.

Signs that are produced from cut vinyl may not have a polycarbonate coating applied due to the difficulty of adhering the protective layer to the uneven sign surface.

Similarly, any other materials that are needed for production standards, but that affect the ability to use protective covers will be considered more important than the cover.

3.5. Sizes Where a prescribed size is used for a sign in this document, its actual size must be within +/- 254mm (1.0”) at either end (not combined).

The size of the design materials may vary from those shown in this standards’ graphics.

This will especially be the case where a stock sign that is like the design shown in this document is available. The use of stock signs and the slight graphic deviations such as spacing, minor sizing, slight design variation (e.g., rounding on arrows) shall be considered acceptable. Accepting these minor variations can be more cost and resource effective/efficient and therefore has overall social benefit.

3.6. Logos The most common logo that will appear on County-owned signage throughout the Northumberland County Forest is the stylized County Forest logo. There may be times where because of messaging another logo, insignia or emblem may be used including the County’s corporate logo or a partner organization’s logo.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard 3.6.a. County Forest Logo The primary logo on signs throughout the County Forest will be the stylized Northumberland County Forest logo (Figure 1). There are occasions where the artwork or text alone is used, or where the positioning of the art or text must be changed for design and installation reasons.

Figure 1. Standard County Forest logo.

A common alteration that is/will be used for signage is shown in Figure 2. As it has a dark blue background, the lettering for Northumberland County has been changed to white and the location of the words has been slightly altered to allow space for an attachment hole to be punched.

Figure 2. Alternate County Forest logo with white lettering for dark backgrounds.

3.6.b. County (corporate) Logo The County’s corporate logo may be appropriate for some signage. Where the County logo is used, it will adhere to the Northumberland County Visual Identity Guide.

3.6.c. Other Organization logo From time to time, it may be appropriate to include the logo of other townships or organizations. The logo guidelines of those organizations will be followed.

3.7. Text The following are guidelines for when text is being used on signage:

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • •

• • • •

•

Must be sans-serif font Preferred, but non-mandatory, fonts include Myriad Pro and Arial o Bold or narrow formats are acceptable o Fonts used in other recognized design standards such as Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or on available stock signage are acceptable Text on pictures, scanned pictures or similar can be maintained in the original style and font and does not need to be provided in sans-serif Sentence case is preferable o Some standard signage, such as STOP signs, use all capitals Colours should have high contrast with background colours o Logos excluded Size will vary based on the space available, the intended location, the user and the message o For example, if text is on a sign that will be seen while using an ATV it should be as large as possible whereas text on a sign that will be seen while standing immediately in front of it can be appropriate to the scale of other features and the importance of the messaging.

Avoid hyphenation of sentence breaks when possible

3.8. Symbology – Use Icons The following are the acceptable designs for use Icons (Figure 3). There may be some situations where a change in colour, background or border is necessary and that is acceptable. The intent is to show what the standard symbol will be for the Forest’s recreational trail uses.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 3. Use icons for signage in the Northumberland County Forest.

3.9. Symbology – Trail Markers Throughout the County Forest, trails are named after: • • • •

Colours (Beagle Club Trails Area) Names (Forest Access Roads) Features and Wildlife (Many trails throughout) The Oak Ridges Trail

A large amount of work has been done on re-naming trails that were either colours or unnamed and the focus has been on naming these after trees, plants, wildlife, insects, natural features (e.g., Ridge Road) or human constructed features (e.g., Split Rail, Stonewall). These names have been based on what can be found, usually commonly, on the trail. The benefit of this has been that it can combine words and a symbol for improved accessibility. As well, the shapes and colours of these features are usually bold and have varying outlines so that the shape stands out and they are not dependent on colour. The symbols are then used on the confirmation markers. The focus on this type

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard of naming convention rather than using proper names or names without symbology is preferred.

Where another organization uses an alternate name for a trail (e.g., OFSC or NDATV numbering conventions), the County’s preferred position on naming conventions (i.e., focusing on wildlife and features that can be symbolized) does not apply.

3.10. Sign Conversions to meet Standards There are many suggested alterations to signage in these guidelines. This demonstrates the thought and intent of the County to improve signage, its messaging and risk management throughout the County Forest.

Some of the proposed alterations are minor changes such as the alteration of the logo to accommodate better installation or the addition of the words “Recreational Trail” to the signage. As well some signs have text that may be overly stylized (e.g., Kiddie Loop) and should be brought into a more conventional sans serif font. Current signage, however, has a very similar design and messaging to the new conventions and generally maintains consistency without creating confusion. Current signage will be considered acceptable until they require end of life replacement. The County may begin converting this signage to meet the updated standards, but a complete stochastic conversion is not feasible or reasonable financially or waste-wise. It is recommended that where these main markers begin on a trail, that a sticker reading “Recreational Trail” be installed on the sign.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

4.0 Location and installation Sign locations must consider other signage, visibility obstructions, messaging, trail uses, topography, and impediments to installation. Locations suggested throughout the document should be considered the typical or ideal, there are a range of realities that influence the final sign location, securement devices and installation method.

The following outlines some guidelines and considerations for installation: • • •

• •

Signs on trails should be installed on the right hand side of the traffic’s direction.

Warning signage can be installed where it is most appropriate to warn of the hazard.

Visibility distance will be affected by terrain and trail use. Signs should be sited to ensure that hills curves and other features do not affect visibility distance as much as practical.

Signs expected to be read in winter can be installed higher than standard to account for snow accumulation.

Locations that require multiple signs may have their signs combined onto one fabricated sign or multiple signs may be combined onto one support.

4.10.a. Location and Height Unless otherwise noted in sign descriptions or other text, the following are the typical minimum and maximum heights and distances from trail for sign installation (Table 3, Figure 4). There may be some situations where meeting this standard is not possible due to unforeseen circumstances. As well, there may be situations where an offset is required to ensure that the line of sight between more important signs, such as regulatory or warning signs is not obstructed or encroached.

Table 3. Location and height for signage installation in the Northumberland County Forest.

Point of measurement Min. (m) Max. (m) Height 1.25 2.0 • Above nearest point of trail tread • Bottom of lowest sign Distance 0.5 2.0 • Nearest point of trail tread • Closest part of nearest sign Exceptions • Confidence markers can be installed below the larger signs to a minimum height of 0.75m.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 4. Diagram of typical installation parameters for signage in the Northumberland County Forest.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard 4.10.b. Angle Generally, signs should be installed at 90 degree angles to the trail’s travelling direction.

This may not be possible with signs such as directional guidance, confidence signs, and trail markers. As well, some signage such as Emergency Location Markers may be located at a “T” junction and therefore may be installed parallel to one and perpendicular to the other. As well, the signage may be more appropriately placed at a 90 degree angle to the approach rather than the trail as the trail may angle in such a way that the sign would be difficult to see from the approach.

The main signs that should meet the 90 degree angle guideline are regulatory and warning signage. Where a regulatory or warning sign uses retroreflective sheeting the sign should be installed at approximately a 93 degree angle from the trail to reduce glare while maintaining legibility as best as possible.

4.10.c. Supports Materials that can be acceptably used as sign supports include (note these are typical commercial lumber sizes and not actual measurements): • Standard 4” x 4”, pressure treated construction posts or similar o Preferred o Typically for wayfinding, warning, regulatory and information marker signage o Generally spruce, pine or fir o May be somewhat modified from a standard dimensional lumber (e.g., “Mini Tie”) • Trees o Used throughout the Forest for signage and may be appropriate where a post cannot be installed (e.g., stony ground, roots, sensitive or seasonally wet ground, recurring vandalism to posts) o Typical support for confidence markers • Cedar posts o Used as the supports for the parking lot signs.

• Galvanized steel u-channel or similar o More rarely used but some temporary or semi-permanent signage as well as warning signage may use.

• Other existing structures o For example: Gates and bollards

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Some atypical sign supports remain in the forest such as: o Square steel posts (~4” x 4”) o 3 Cedar posts nailed together Where atypical support posts exist, they will be allowed to remain until all signs on them are being removed / replaced for maintenance or when their materials have decayed. Atypical support may continue to be used as a solution where other posts are not suitable due to recurring vandalism or to improve longevity.

Typically supports will be installed to a minimum depth of 1m below the ground’s surface and installed directly into the site’s natural soils. Where this depth cannot be reached the risk of the sign becoming dislodged and other options such as the use of a tree must be considered. Where there is concern that a support may be pulled from the ground a bracket, footing or other retainer can be installed. For heavier supports such as squared steel posts, a cement footing should be used to provide greater stability.

4.10.d. Securement The most typical method of signage securement will be a galvanized screw with galvanized washer, or a paneling screw with integrated washer, preferably with a Robertson socket. Signs will generally be fastened at the horizontal middle near the top and bottom of the sign. There may be situations where securing at corners would ease installation or provide better securement and therefore should be used.

For some larger signs, a lag bolt with washer will be more suitable given the size and weight of the sign.

4.10.e. Typical sign support arrangements The most common sign support is a 4” x 4” post. The following provides guidance for arrangements to installing signs on those supports (Figure 5). There may be the occasional location where a sign could be installed in a different manner. For example, where a trail splits and signs are installed on a post that is installed on an angle to parallel the trails. Signs may be installed by securing them along one edge to allow for these angles. These atypical installations are uncommon and are acceptable when: • • • •

They are used to improve messaging, or They improve visibility, or The size of the signs results in a modification, or The protection of a conservation value is being considered.

The following guidelines demonstrate the typical and acceptable methods for installing signs. Multiple signs may be installed on a single support. This should occur only after all

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard efforts are made to reduce or merge sign messaging. Additionally, it is preferable that signs are aggregated onto a single support to reduce sign pollution where an overall reduction in signs is not possible. When signs are grouped onto a single support the messaging should read like the text in a book (left to right and from up to down).

If a regulatory or warning sign is in an area with multiple signs, careful consideration should be given to assess whether messaging will be affected by being installed on the same support with other signs or if it will be improved as users will have one place to find all messaging. If it will be negatively affected it should be installed on a separate support. The value of “one-stop” messaging should not be discounted.

All horizontal supports (frame) must be fixed to the support post using a lag bolt and washer that are countersunk to be flush under the signs (Figure 6). The metal sign backing will provide the vertical tie between the top and bottom frame. If a sign made from a non-standard material is used (e.g., plastic, alupanel), vertical supports made from 2”x 4”s and affixed behind the horizontal supports can be used.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 5. Typical arrangements for signage installation.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 6. Typical construction for signage supports.

4.11. Advance Placement Distance Advanced placement signage includes: • • • • •

Stop Sign Ahead Yield Ahead Road Crossing Ahead Trail Crossing Slow (approaching curved marked by signage)

These signs will be installed based on the following parameters.

For advanced placement distance (APD; Table 4) we used the following calculations: D=10(V/3.6) Where D=posting distance (m); 10 is the number of seconds travel time (s); V is the velocity (km/hr) and 3.6 is a constant (3600s/h/1000m/km).

Table 4. Target and advanced placement distance for certain signs in the Northumberland County Forest.

User Type ATV/Off-road motorcycle Off-road motorcycle (single-track) Cyclist Hiker, Snowshoer, Skier, Equestrian

Assumed Speed 30km/hr 20km/hr

Target APD (m) 85m 55m

Acceptable APD (m) 70 – 125m 40 – 100m

15km/hr 4km/hr

40m 10m

25 – 100m 5 – 25m

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

4.12. Minimum Spacing Minimum spacing between signage assemblies is only required for warning or regulatory signage. All minimum spacing requirements are for the visibility in the direction of travel and do not apply to signs placed for visibility in other directions of travel. There may be situations identified within the installation guidelines of an individual sign that supersede or must be considered in relation to minimum spacing (Table 5).

Table 5. Minimum spacing parameters for select signage in the Northumberland County Forest.

Stop Sign, Yield Sign or Motorized Trail Crossing Sign

Stop Sign Ahead Speed Limit Emergency Marker

Danger or Warning Sign

• No signs within preceding 15m • Any sign between Stop Ahead or Yield Ahead and Stop or Yield Sign must be at least 1.5m to right of direct line between those signs • Trail name signage is allowed on the same sign post as a STOP sign, but should be avoided and may only be installed perpendicular.

• No sign within succeeding 1m and any sign within succeeding 10m must be offset by 1.5m unless it is another regulatory or warning sign • A hazard Warning/Caution or Danger sign can be placed at any location near these signs, but cannot block them from any angle from on the trail viewpoints within 10m.

• No signs within 10m of Stop Sign Ahead, Yield Sign Ahead or Motorized Trail Crossing Sign with Distance Tab • No signs within 10m of Speed Limit Sign • Emergency Marker Signage may be installed with other signage.

Where one or two signs are mounted on a post, the emergency marker signs can be installed above or below other signage.

Where more than 2 signs are installed, the emergency marker signage shall be installed below the other signage.

• The intent is to ensure that the marker signage is closer to eye level and reflects lights from headlights, headlamps or flashlights.

• Any danger or warning sign notifying the user of an immediate hazard must be on its own sign and must be located appropriately to warn of the hazard.

• An exception is a hazard warning sign that is complementary to a wayfinding sign and re-enforces that the hazard is located on that trail. This exception exists only for complementary signage and cannot be grouped with other non-complementary signs, unless another hazard warning sign is also provided closer to the hazard.

• Only emergency marker, stop or yield signage is permitted within 5m of a hazard warning sign and between the sign and the

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Road Crossing Warning Sign

hazard. • This does not include general risk management signs that are not warning of a specific, non-moving hazard at that location. • No signs within preceding 15m or succeeding 10m.

4.13. Trail Crossings/Intersections The following decision trees should be used to determine what sign is needed at a trail crossing and how they should be installed. Motorized trails will generally be given rightof-way and therefore a trail crossing warning may be needed, but a Stop or Yield sign would not be appropriate, instead the crossing warning signs would be on the nonmotorized trail.

There are three categories of trail crossing guidelines: 1. Trails that permit ATVs and Snowmobiles 2. Trails that do not permit ATVs and Snowmobiles 3. Crossings at parking lot driveways For the first two categories, Decision Trees 1 (Figure 7) and 2 (Figure 8) will be followed to determine signage requirements.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 7. Decision Tree 1 for sign placement at trail intersections and crossings.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 8. Decision Tree 2 for sign placement at trail intersections and crossings.

4.14. Trailhead Kiosks Current trailhead kiosks are constructed of wood with arched shingle roofs and have 3 panels that are covered in lexan to protect the contents (Figure 9). The lexan is on a hinged frame to provide access to the contents underneath. The middle panel of the kiosk has the Information and Etiquette Signage and either end of the kiosk may have temporary notices and advertisements, a map and other regulatory or warning signage.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 9. Photo of current trailhead kiosk (existing kiosk at Woodland Road trailhead).

When trailhead kiosks are being replaced in the future, consideration should be given to replacing trailhead kiosks that provide: • • • •

Better protection to lower elements such as map boxes and paper notices from rain.

An open area for the public to install notices or information (with regulations for dating and removal periods as well as messaging) A minimum of 4 panels for: a map, information and etiquette, risk management signage, and temporary notices.

Improved longevity of supports.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

5.0 Wayfinding and General Use Signage 5.1. Parking Entrance A parking lot entrance marker sign (Table 6, Figure 10) will be installed at the entrance to each parking lot. The sign should be at the intended entrance location and should be installed so that vehicles are entering before the sign.

Table 6. Parking entrance marker sign (PRK) details.

Sign Type Reference Code Backing Material Size Printed material

Logo Symbology

Text Support

Securement Location

Height

Additional Information

Parking Entrance PRK Aluminum or Galvanized Steel Height: 42” (107cm) Width:72” (183cm) • Printed vinyl • Background • Text strip at bottom • County Forest Logo • Stylized with logo separated from text by white strip • Parking symbol (P): circular • Recreational uses • Recreational uses may be covered over by a plate for seasonal changes • Parking Lot Name • Peeled Cedar Posts (or similar) • Wooden backing/bracing structure (2”x4”) sandwiched between sign faces • Secured in at least 6 locations by lag bolts with washers • At entrance lane • Setback from road as required by road authority • Must not restrict visibility for vehicle exiting that is stopped at road entrance • Bottom of sign panel should be at least 0.3m above ground to allow for snow buildup (non-mandatory best practice) • Two panels are required (one for each direction)

When a Parking lot entrance sign must be replaced, modifications should be done to the parking lot “P” symbol and the parking lot name to increase their size. An example of an improved Woodland Parking lot sign is shown below (Figure 11).

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 10. Photo of existing parking area sign.

Figure 11. Modified sign design for future alterations.

5.2. Trailhead Maps Trailheads are the main entrance point and the main source of information for users at the Northumberland County Forest. Trailhead maps will vary in size, orientation and scale based on the trails that they are representing. Trailhead maps should include the following design features: •

• •

Trails with unique symbology o Line Symbology o Symbology used on assurance signage where possible Legend defining symbology Scale bar or scale text

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • • • •

North Arrow or similar orientation symbol Emergency Marker Numbers symbolized on map Features that may be of interest (depends on available space and aesthetics) County Forest Boundary where visible at appropriate extent

Table 7 defines the minimum extent and representations for each trailhead map.

Table 7. Minimum extent and trail representations for trailhead maps.

Trailhead Location Carstairs Tract Beagle Club Road

Morris Road Woodland Road MacDonald Road

Code

THM

Minimum Extent The universal trail loops in the Carstairs Tract The Beagle Club Ski trails and the non-motorized single-track trails between Beagle Club Road and County Road 45 Motorized Multi-use trails throughout the County Forest Woodland Trail Loops (Purple Finch, Black Oak and Sweet Fern) and Lookout Mountain Trail Motorized Multi-use trails throughout the County Forest

5.3. Map kiosks/Map Shelters Wooden map shelters with printed maps are provided on some of the Beagle Club trails.

Maps are a non-standard signage and are provided only as additional reassurance and not as a standard sign. Where these are provided they are a roofed backing made of wood where a trail map can be installed. These were more necessary in the past when they were used to house trail maps printed on paper. It is common for users to remove these maps (including breaking lexan covers to get them) when they have not taken a map from those provided at the trailhead.

The use of map shelters and provision of maps throughout the trails is considered nonstandard and provide additional, non-essential confirmation of location. Therefore, they will be treated as a non-mandatory as part of the County Forest’s signage program and will be provided, installed, and replaced at the County’s discretion.

When resources and time permit or the main sign conversion project is complete, map kiosks with trail maps should be installed strategic locations such as major intersections or where multiple trails converge throughout the County Forest. These signs would be a printed vinyl with a polycarbonate cover. As map signs are prone to vandalism, damage and possibly theft, consideration should be given to using a heavier gauge steel blank and a thicker polycarbonate cover such as 5 or 10mil.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard The scale and size of map signs should be based on the trails and features in the immediate area and possible reference points such as main roads and trailheads.

5.4. Etiquette and Information Signs Each trailhead will have an information and etiquette sign. The intent of these signs is to convey important information that relates to the Forest, but provides some focused messaging based on its location (Table 8, Figure 12).

Table 8. Information and Etiquette (IAE) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Printed material

Logo Symbology Text

Support Location and Height

Information and Etiquette Aluminum composite IAE Height: 40” (102cm) Width: 30” (76cm) • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • Light Blue rectangle in middle with messaging inside • Green Rectangle at Top • County Forest at bottom • Undefined; supports written messaging • Title: Information and Etiquette • White • Text supported by appropriate symbology • Trailhead Kiosk panel • Within trailhead panel (typically center panel)

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 12. Example of Information and Etiquette sign, messaging varies depending on location.

5.5. Trail Access Information Trail Access Information (TAI) provides information about the qualities of a trail that affect accessibility. Rather than provide a trail rating system that is subjective, users will be provided with trail access information that is quantitative and users will have information that can help them in deciding about their ability to use a trail.

As Trail Access Information would be difficult to provide for some of the motorized multi-use trails and Beagle Club forest access roads, the following are the current trails that shall have them and the target maximum time frame in which they will be complete for that trail (Table 9). Developing this information requires the use of a specialized measurement tool. Forest Services has had difficulty in the past with breakdowns and

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard receiving replacement parts for the tool in a timely manner and that could result in expansion of the completion dates.

Trail Access Information will be communicated using a standard general layout for information (Table 10), but the final designs and installation of these signs will vary depending on location (Figure 13 and Figure 14).

Table 9. Anticipated completion dates for Trail Access Information measurements and signage.

Trail Name Universal Trails in Carstairs Tract (Spruce, Larch, Black Locust, White Pine) Beagle Club Ski Trail loops (Kiddie, Orange, Red, Blue, Green A/B/C) Woodland Trails (Purple Finch, Black Oak, Sweet Fern) Non-motorized Single-Track (Dragonfly, Elderberry, Stonewall) Oak Ridges Trail Motorized Single-Track (Luna, Flying Squirrel, Fisher)

Completion Date Aug. 31, 2017 May 15, 2018 Dec. 31, 2018 Dec. 31, 2019 Dec. 31, 2019 Dec. 31, 2020

Table 10. Typical Trail Access Information (TAI) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material

Reference code and Size Logo

Printed material

Text

Trail Access Information (TAI) Aluminum, Aluminum composite, HDPE, Paper depending on permanency and installation.

TAI AI1: Height: 10-20” (25 – 51cm) Width: 3.5” (9cm) AI2: Height: 14-20” (36 – 51cm) Width: 3.5” (9cm) • Non-mandatory • Symbol (no text) may be installed if space allows • Logo is not necessary if placed on other logo’d materials.

• Printed vinyl or paper • Background White (may be reflective if appropriate/available – preferred; e.g. not possible when printed on paper) • Trail Name • Trail Distance • Maximum grade • Average grade • Length of trail with grade greater than 5 or 10% (use 10% where greater than 20% of the length of the trail is greater than 10%)

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Support and Location (Single AI1 –option 1)

Support and Location (Single AI1 –option 2)

Support and Location (Up to 3 AI1)

Support and Location (AI2) Provides an alternative to option above

Kiosk installation

• Maximum Cross Slope • Average Cross Slope • Length of trail with cross slope greater than 3% or 5% (use 5% where greater than 20% of the trail length has a cross slope greater than 5%) • Minimum trail width • Average trail width • Surface Type • Firmness (hard, medium, soft) • Obstacles (any permanent obstacle that may be encountered).

• WARNING: Trail conditions may have changed since this trail was assessed. Temporary obstacles such as fallen trees were not assessed.

• May be installed on post. Where a single sign is installed, it may be installed below another sign (the sign may be below standard height. The sign above should meet height standards.

• May be installed as part of a multiple sign arrangement.

Consideration should be given to the user’s ability to link the TAI with its related signage. Up to 3 separate AI1 signs may be installed this way • Up to 3 TAI (AI1) may be printed on a single sign. Where 3 are on a sign, they do not require any additional border/template. The single sign may then be installed below another sign (the sign may be below standard height. The sign above should meet height standards.

• Multiple TAI may be printed on a single sign using a data table. The panel’s size may be variable depending on the number of trails represented on it. The panel may be installed per typical installation parameters or may be installed on a near-horizontal plane. This would be especially appropriate near a trailhead sign where the information is complementary to mapping and would benefit the trail user.

• Height to bottom of panel 70cm to 82cm (~28-32”) • Panel angle should be between 30 and 45 degrees to mounting post.

• Depending on panel width and support requirements, there may be one or two supportive posts.

• Supportive posts may be made of wood or steel.

• There may be situations where including TAI signage would be appropriate and would fit within the trailhead kiosk (near a map). In this scenario, the TAI sign can be

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard made to fit in available space and installed appropriately (i.e., staples or pins for paper, screws for fabricated signage).

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 13. Example of Trail Access Information sign for a single trail.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 14. Example Trail Access Information sign layout for multiple trails at single location.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

5.6. Emergency Location Markers Emergency Location markers are installed throughout the County Forest to provide support to emergency responders as well as reference locations for forest users and staff.

Current location markers are functional and provide for the needs of the users and emergency responders (Table 11, Figure 15). Improvements can be made from the first version of these signs including: • • • •

Reflectivity Visibility from all sides of the post Updated logo Differentiation from other signage (no other signs use fluorescent yellow-green)

The Current Location Markers must be changed to the revised markers (Table 12, Figure 16) within 2 years to provide time to develop the signage, alter the posts and manage the changeover.

Table 11. Current Location Marker sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Printed material

Logo Text

Support

Location Marker Aluminum LM1 Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Circle • Printed vinyl • White Background • Red semi-circle at top • Old County Forest Logo centered at bottom • “Location” (White on red) above middle • “Emergency 9-1-1” (White on red) at top • Location marker number (and letter where applicable) in black on lower half • 4 x 4 post only

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 15. Current location marker sign design (grey area shown for clarity, but not part of actual sign).

5.6.a. Revised Location Markers Table 12. Revised Location Marker sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Printed material

Logo Text

Support

Location Marker Aluminum LM2 Height: 7.25” (18cm) Width: 6.5” (16.5cm) • Fluorescent Yellow-Green reflective background • Black reflective border • Red reflective rectangle in upper half • None • “Location” (White reflective) above middle • “Northumberland County Forest” (White) above “Location” • “Emergency 9-1-1” (Black) at bottom • Location marker number (and letter where applicable) in black on lower half • Blocking made of 2’x8” dimensional lumber will be needed to wrap around an existing 4”x 4” post to install

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 16. Revised Emergency Location Markers.

5.7. Recurring Sign Templates There are two main sign templates sizes with two different designs for each size (Table 13, Figure 17). The designs are very similar, which will maintain the visual identity of County Forest signage, but templates used for trail marking have the words “Recreational Trail” printed at the bottom to conform to the Ontario Occupiers’ Liability Act (R.S.O. 1990, c.O.2). These templates form the basis for many of the signs that are found throughout the Northumberland County Forest such as wayfinding signage and permitted use signs.

Table 13. Recurring typical wayfinding and regulatory sign template (TN1,TW1,TN2, TW2) details

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code and Size

Printed material

Logo

Text

Wayfinding and Regulatory Templates Aluminum TN1: 12” (30cm) x 12” (30cm) (no “Recreational Trail”) TW1: 12” (30cm) x 12” (30cm) (with “Recreational Trail”) TN2: 12” (30cm) x 18” (45cm) (no “Recreational Trail”) TW2: 12” (30cm) x 18” (45cm) (with “Recreational Trail”) • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • White square/rectangle in middle • County Forest Logo centered on top • Space provided in middle of logo for screw attachment at top and bottom • “Recreational Trail” written in bottom left corner in white lettering on the blue background (TW1 and TW2)

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Support

• Trees should be avoided as much as possible

Figure 17. Recurring sign templates.

5.8. Trail markers The intent of wayfinding is to provide information to make decisions about their route.

This involves directional guidance, confirmation, and confidence wayfinding guides.

Recognizing that printed and electronic maps and route pre-planning is significant in recreational trail wayfinding, the focus Northumberland County’s Trail marker strategy will focus on confirmation and confidence markers.

To ensure that over-signage does not deplete the trail users’ experience, directional guidance signage may be provided at or before intersections. Users should not depend on the existence of directional guidance signage, but should seek the main markers on trails to guide their navigation. Any guidance signage is provided for additional reassurance.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard 5.8.a. Trail Marker Directionality Trail markers will also indicate the permitted direction of use for a trail. With the principle of trying to minimize signage, it is not appropriate to install one-way and do not enter signs throughout the Forest’s trail network. Instead, trail marker signage will indicate directionality by either being visible in only one direction for unidirectional trails or being visible from both directions on two-way trails.

5.8.b. Main Markers (Confirmation) Main trail Markers are to be used where a new trail begins, where there is a split in trails or where there is a confusing location and additional confirmation could be provided to trail users (Table 14).

Main trail markers use the TW1 or TW2 as backgrounds. Each main trail marker will include an image (symbology) and the trail’s name.

Table 14. Wayfinding main trail marker (WM1, WM2) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Size and Reference Code Printed material Logo Text Support

Wayfinding Main Markers Aluminum WM1: Height: 12” (30cm) Width: 12” (30cm) WM2: Height: 18” (45cm) Width: 12” (30cm) • Per template • Trail symbology in white box • Per template • Trail name in white box with symbol • Remainder per template • Trees should be avoided as much as possible

5.8.c. Main Markers with Distances Alternate trail markers showing the distance to the end of the trail may be provided where additional information (trail distance) appears warranted (Table 15, Figure 18).

This is a non-standard sign and the distance is only provided as additional, nonmandatory information. The existence of a sign providing this information does not indicate that it is permanent signage at that location.

Table 15. Sign details for non-standard wayfinding main trail markers with distance to end (MD1, MD2).

Sign Type Backing Material Size and Reference Code Printed material

Wayfinding Main Markers with Distances Aluminum MD1: Height: 12” (30cm) Width: 12” (30cm) MD2: Height: 18” (45cm) Width: 12” (30cm) • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • One or two white rectangles can be evenly distributed

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Logo

Text

Support

or proportioned based on number of trails being symbolized.

• Trail symbology in box • County Forest Logo centered on top • Space provided in middle of logo for screw attachment at top and bottom • Trail name in box with symbol as with main markers • “Distance to end” in upper right-hand side • Distance in kilometers or meters if appropriate; to right and approximately level with the symbology • “Recreational Trail” written in bottom left corner in white lettering on blue background.

• Trees should be avoided as much as possible

Figure 18. Examples of Main Trail Markers with distances.

5.8.d. Guidance Markers Where trail guidance is provided (a non-mandatory sign), the sign will use either 2 box or 3 box templates (Table 16, Figure 19). Either template can include up to 2 symbols, trail names and an arrow within each box.

Guidance markers (non-mandatory signage) may be used to provide additional information/confirmation about a trail decision. Generally, this is information about a trail that is not the one being travelled, although may include the one being travelled. It can be provided prior to a decision being required or at the decision-making point.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Where a decision is being made at a location further down the trail a Wayfinding distance tab should be provided underneath the sign.

An intersection may occur for two or more trails. At these intersections, trail wayfinding guidance may be provided in situations including, but not limited to: • • • •

Main trail markers on intersecting trails are not visible Where user confusion has been observed Where natural features may cause confusion Where a warning would increase user safety

Table 16. Non-mandatory wayfinding guidance (TG1, TG2, TG3, TG4) trail marker sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code

Size Printed material

Logo

Text

Support

Wayfinding Guidance Markers Aluminum 2 box (equal): TG1 3 box: TG2 2box (unequal larger bottom): TG3 2box (unequal larger top): TG4 Height: 45cm (18”) Width: 30cm (12”) • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • Two or three white rectangles evenly distributed • Trail symbology in box • Arrow in box below trail symbology showing direction of trail for decision making.

• County Forest Logo centered on top • Space provided in middle of logo for screw attachment at top and bottom • Trail name in box with symbol as with main markers • “Recreational Trail” written in bottom left corner in white lettering on blue background.

• Trees should be avoided

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 19. Trail Guidance marker templates.

The arrow (Figure 20) to be used for trail guidance will appear as follows. The intent is to maintain consistency in shape across guidance signage. The size of the arrow will need to be modified to fit the available space and complement the scale of other symbology.

Figure 20. Arrow to be used for consistency. Can be different lengths or orientation depending on signage needs.

5.8.d.i. Non-standard directional guidance These signs may use any range of sizes that follow the same design and intent, but for locations where more options are needed to fit decisional waymarking such as intersections where more than two directional options are available. For example, signage throughout the Carstairs Tract Universal Trails requires directional signage to indicate a trail split as well as future trail options that occur from following a given trail.

Installation non-standard wayfinding should follow the intent of other installation standards in this plan based on the overall sign size compared to the use of multiple smaller signs (i.e., based on total area of sign).

5.8.e. Confidence (Assurance) Markers Signs posted consecutively along a trail must be separated by a sufficient distance (separation distance) to give users confidence in their location while not oversaturating their nature experience with signs.

There may be locations where a Main Trail Marker is used rather than a confidence marker if there is concern for visibility or confusion. Where a trail marker exists, it will be considered a confidence marker.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard The primary standard confidence markers (Figure 21) are 6” wide and can be 6” (SC1), 12” (SC2), 18” (SC3), or 24” (SC4) high depending on the number of trails being represented (Table 17). The secondary standard confidence markers are used for any trails made to Universal trail standards (Figure 22). These will be 8” wide and will have heights of 8” (UC1), 16” (UC2), 24” (UC3) or 32” (UC4).

Table 17. Standard (SC1-4) and Universal trail (UC1-4) Confidence marker sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference Code and Size

Printed material

Support Height

Wayfinding – Confidence Markers Aluminum SC1: Height: 6” Width: 6” UC1: Height: 8” Width: 8” SC2: Height: 10” Width: 6” UC2: Height: 14” Width: 8” SC3: Height: 16” Width: 6” UC3: Height: 20” Width: 8” SC4: Height: 20” Width: 6” UC4: Height: 26” Width: 8” • Printed vinyl • Background Blue o ¼” wide blue border • White square/rectangle in middle • Tree (typical) • Acceptable height to bottom of sign: 0.75m to 2m

Figure 21. Standard Confidence Marker templates.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 22. Universal trail Confidence Marker templates.

Confidence markers will have the image from the main trail marker on them, but no text. Where more than one confidence marker is used (e.g., on stacked loops), the markers will be arranged so that the first trail that splits off is at the top and the last trail to split off is at the bottom.

Table 18 defines the acceptable separation distance between confidence marker signage. Although the maximum separation distance is the target separation distance for installation, smaller separation distances may be used where features that may confuse trail users exist.

Table 18. Typical maximum separation distance for confidence markers.

Type Standard Confidence Marker (SC#) Non-standard Confidence Marker (UC#)

Maximum separation distance 200m 150m

5.8.f. Beagle Club Ski Trail Markers The Beagle Club Ski Trails include the following trails: • •

Green (A,B, and C) Blue

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • •

Red Orange (and Kiddie Loop)

These trails have been marked using a different marking convention that pre-dates most other trail marking in the County Forest. As a result, there has not been a change to a naming system as most other trails have and these trails have remained named after colours. The signs used for these trails are the main trail markers and confidence markers combined (Table 19).

The current signs consisting of a plastic blank with built in arrow and printed colour have been in place for more than 5 years and have provided safe and suitable wayfinding.

To improve standardization with the other trail signage and to improve readability, revised signage will be installed and is detailed in section 5.8.f.i.

Table 19. Current Beagle Club ski trail wayfinding sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Printed material Text Support Securement Location Height Max. separation distance

Wayfinding – Beagle Club Ski Trails Plastic BCS Circle Diameter: 3.9” (10cm) Pointer tab - Length: 2.5” (6.5cm) Width: 1.75” (4.5cm) • Coloured circle – Diameter: 3.6” (9cm) • Where necessary a letter affixed within the coloured circle to indicate loop name (e.g., A, B, or C) • Tree (typical) • Two roofing nails (typical) • Two screws (preferred) • 0.1m to 3.0m from edge of trail tread.

• Unidirectional and visible from clockwise trail travel.

• Target Height to bottom of lowest sign: 1.5m • Acceptable height to bottom of sign: 1.25m to 2m 200m

5.8.f.i. Revised Beagle Club Wayfinding Signage It is arguable that the use of coloured symbology should be used on the Beagle Club Trails. The main and overarching advantage is that it maintains the trail identification convention that has been used for a long time. It would be confusing for many people if the trails were renamed and could result in miscommunication and potential for people being lost or difficulty in locating a person needing help.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard There are many disadvantages as well to maintaining the current signage and use of colours. These disadvantages include the inconsistency between the current plastic trail makers and all other signage (maintaining identity) and that it relies on people being able to see colour (i.e., not colourblind).

To balance maintaining the historic naming conventions and the needs for consistency and readability, there will be a two-phase approach to improving the Beagle Club Ski Trail Signage.

The first phase will be to install new Wayfinding Main Markers and Wayfinding Guidance markers (TG1-TG4). These markers will incorporate the coloured circles that currently exist, with letters and words, both imbedded in the symbol and as text on the sign (Figure 23). It is recognized that there will be some colour variation compared to the current signage, but the following standard colours (Table 20) for revision of the signs were selected to maximize colour contrast between the circle as a background and the white text colour.

Table 20. Colour standards for Beagle Club Ski Trail wayfinding signage.

Colour Blue Green Orange Red

C 100 72 0 2

M 95 2 45 100

Y 0 100 86 99

K 16 76 0 4

R 0 28 255 192

G 26 66 108 13

B 114 32 47 30

PantoneÂŽ 2747C 2411C 021U 3546C

Figure 23. New colour markings for Beagle Club Trail (ski trail) signage.

An example of using these symbols (Figure 24) will be wayfinding guidance such as:

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 24. Example of the use of new Beagle Club trail markers with Trail Marker Guidance template.

The second phase of this approach will be to replace the current plastic markers with the arrow tab with confidence markers (SC1-SC4) that contain this symbology (Figure 25). This is a lot of signage, current markers are damaged from the nails they are installed with being hammered too hard. Therefore, the replacement of those markers will be beneficial. The second phase will occur later as this is a large task and will require a significant amount of time and planning for installation.

Figure 25. Examples of revised Beagle Club trail markers on standard confidence marker templates.

5.8.g. Beagle Club Roads Many Forest Access “Roads� in the Beagle Club trail area are named after people that were originators of the trail system through the Northumberland Forest Skiers. Other

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard trails are named for other reasons. The current signage system for these trails is (Table 21, Figure 26): Table 21. Current Beagle Club Access Road signage details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code

Size Printed material Text Support Height

Wayfinding – Beagle Club Access Roads Steel • BRO • Include first two letters of trail name, or if multiple words the first letter of the first two words.

Height: 4” (10cm) Width: 8” (20cm) • Blue Background • White Border • White Text • Tree (typical) or post • 1m to 3m

Figure 26. Current Beagle Club Access Road signage.

The current signage convention will be acceptable, but will be replaced by revised signs that are more closely related to the typical sign format found throughout the Forest and that also include the County Forest logo and the words “Recreational Trail” (Table 22, Figure 27). As well, any reference to road or trail should be removed from the signs.

There are a few locations where the access trail is not named or the trail is not continuous, but is named as though it is; those locations should be named.

Table 22. Revised Beagle Club Forest Access Road sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code

Size Printed material

Wayfinding – Beagle Club Access Roads (Revised) Steel • BRN • Include first two letters of trail name, or if multiple words the first letter of the first two words.

Height: 4” Width: 12” • Blue Background

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Text “Recreational Trail” Logo

• White Rectangle Trail Name • Blue Text • Bottom right corner • White text • Top, centered

Figure 27. Revised Beagle Club Access Road signage.

5.9. Distance markers 5.9.a. General Distance Marker Distance markers may be provided on some trails to provide additional information about the remaining distance of a trail Distance markers are a non-mandatory sign and therefore may be installed or replaced at the County’s discretion. Consideration for installation and replacement will be given to available resources and signage pollution.

Distance markers are often requested by Forest users and are beneficial for wayfinding and safety. On the other hand, distance markers can be complicated and confusing with a large trail network and can result in a significant amount of additional signage. Some trails such as the linear motorized multi-use trails that traverse the forest are not very suitable for distance markers as they do not have any significant start and end points.

Where a trail has a definite beginning and end and where the information provided by a simple distance remaining marker would not be confusing, wayfinding distance markers (WDM; Table 23, Figure 28) can be installed.

Table 23. Wayfinding distance marker sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size

Wayfinding – Distance Marker Aluminum WDM Height: 1” Width: 5”

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Printed material

Text Height Installation Location Additional Information

• Printed vinyl • Blue Background • White arrow preceding text • White text • Distance in either meters or kilometers • Acceptable height to bottom of sign: 0.75m to 3m to accommodate inclusion with wayfinding signage on post • Installation on tree acceptable and most likely.

• Install parallel, or mostly parallel, to trail.

• Text provides distance to end of trail

Figure 28. Wayfinding Distance Marker signage. # symbols to be replaced by numbers.

5.9.b. Rest Area Distance to rest area signs (Table 24, Figure 29) may be provided on some trails, particularly trails constructed to universal standards as most other trails do not have rest area features.

Table 24. Distance to rest areas sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Printed material Text Height

Additional Information

Wayfinding – Distance to Rest Areas Aluminum DRA Height: 8” Width: 12” • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • White lettering • “###m to rest area” • Acceptable height to bottom of sign: 0.75m to 2.5m to accommodate inclusion with wayfinding signage on post • May be installed above other signage.

• Text provides distance to rest area

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 29. Typical Distance to Rest Area signage showing numbers as example only.

A distance to rest area sign with guidance arrows (Table 25, Figure 30) may be installed where an intersection exists and a choice between rest areas can be made.

Table 25. Distance to rest areas with guidance arrows sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Printed material Text Height Additional Information

Wayfinding – Distance to Rest Areas Guidance Aluminum DRG Height: 18” Width: 12” • Printed vinyl • Background Blue • White lettering • “###m to rest area” • Acceptable height to bottom of sign: 0.75m to 2.5m to accommodate inclusion with wayfinding signage on post • Text provides distance to multiple rest areas and includes arrows that direct the user to the rest area

Figure 30. Distance to rest area signage with guidance arrows. Numbers shown as example only.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

5.10. General Information Signs It is not possible to develop all signs that are required to provide information throughout the Forest. There are many signs that can be developed to provide information and help direct the user which are one-off and appropriate for certain situations. These signs are non-mandatory and will be allowed to try and help the forest user. These signs should follow the obvious direction, intent and general design pattern that can be seen throughout these standards. These signs are usually developed in response to some common confusion in wayfinding. Some examples are (Figure 31):

Figure 31. Examples of general information signs.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

5.11. Interpretive/Educational Signs There may be occasions where non-conforming interpretive signs are installed in the Northumberland County Forest. These signs could be for interpretive, educational, or point-of-interest reasons, among others. These signs should seek to conform to the conventions and intentions of the signs described in this manual, but there may be reasons to use other sign materials, designs, fonts, colours, locations, installation methods or so on. They should also be installed to provide the greatest accessibility possible regardless of location.

As these signs do not provide information related to the safety and wellbeing of the Forest users, they do not need to meet a standard, but should be constructed and installed in ways that will not create an unseen hazard to a visitor.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

6.0 Regulatory, Warning and Information Signs 6.1. Temporary Regulatory Signage Temporary regulatory signage can be posted in a manner that follows the general intent and guidelines of other Regulatory and Information Signs. The construction (backing, printing material) will depend on the amount of time and resources available for the procurement, production, and installation of temporary signs. If a temporary sign is being left installed for a longer period than expected or is being regularly re-installed, then efforts must be made to design and construct a more permanent type of sign that can be easily installed and removed.

6.2. Permitted Use Signs Permitted Use signage will be as shown in Table 26. It should be installed at every location that is an entrance into the Forest or where a change of use occurs.

Table 26. Permitted Use (PU1, PU2) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Size and Reference Code Printed material

Permitted Use Aluminum PU1: TW1 PU2:TW2 • Per template standard • Use icons shall be blue silhouettes with no border on the white template background.

• Up to 4 uses on TW1 • Up to 10 uses on TW2 (maximum of 9 is more typical as hunter is not usually placed on permitted use signage) • Icons may be scaled to fit available space

6.3. General Warning Signs There may be a need for non-conforming warning signs for temporary or permanent hazards and risk. As examples, these could include warnings about: • • • •

Wildlife such as aggressive bears Non-normal trail conditions Existence of hazards such as downed trees after a major wind storm Hunting seasons

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Any non-conforming warning signs should meet the following minimum standards shown in Table 27. Examples are shown in Figure 32.

Table 27. Non-conforming warning sign details.

Minimum Height Minimum Width Material

Support / Securement / Location

Special Design Considerations

12” (30cm) 12” (30cm) • Depends on situation; may include: • Paper, plastic, alupanel, aluminum, wood, steel • May be attached to secondary material such as plywood backing • Situationally dependent and appropriate • Installation on 4” x 4” pressure treated post preferred for permanent signs.

• Signs with higher risk of damage/vandalism may require less easily damaged installation parameters.

• Different designs can be used depending on the messaging and location.

• Either text or a universal symbol can be used, but ideally the sign includes a combination of text and symbol • Text should at least identify the hazard, but could also include explanation of the risk if possible.

• Text (trigger word) - capitalized first letter only centered in black banner • Danger – warn of definite hazard • Warning - warn of a potential hazard where if not avoided, death or serious injury could occur • Caution – warn of a potential hazard where if not avoided, minor or moderate injury could occur • Where danger is used, a symbol can be placed inside a triangle with a red background • Where warning or caution is used a symbol can be placed inside a triangle with a white or yellow background.

• The backgrounds of the signs can vary and could relate to colours used for different trigger words. Where a red or black background is used, symbols and text should be white. Where white or yellow background is used, symbols and text should be black.

• Other designs that are similar to other signage or templates may be used for hazards that are ubiquitous and of lower concern (e.g., poison ivy, ticks). These are more informational signs, are not going to be located everywhere the hazard is present, but likely at trailheads or other congregating areas.

The intent of these signs is to be more informational and less abrupt.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • There must be a balance between aesthetics in terms of the look and number of signs and the natural setting.

Figure 32. Examples of non-conforming warning signs.

6.3.a. Trailhead Risk Management Signs A general risk management sign at trailheads should not be needed given the additional markings of “Recreational Trail” and the obviousness of the trails being for recreational purposes and the risks associated with recreational trails in natural areas. Despite recreational trail use’s inherent and willingly assumed risks, general risk management signager will be posted at all trailheads to provide additional information of risks and demonstrate the County’s desire to reasonably inform users of risks and not act with disregard.

The following is an example of the general risk management sign that will be posted.

The sign’s wording and design may change because of changes in legislation, case law or legal advice. All Trail Entrance Risk Management Signs will have the same design, but may have a different shape or font size depending on the location (Table 28,

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 33 and Figure 34).

Table 28. Trail Entrance Risk Management signage (RM1 and RM2) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Size and Reference Code Support / Securement / Location

Shape Design

Text Additional Information

Trail Entrance Risk Management Sign Aluminum or poly (dependent on associated sign) RM1: Height: 18” (45cm) Width:36” (90cm) RM2: Height: 22” (56cm) Width:24” (60cm) • At trailheads as the main location of entry (RM1) o Prioritize installation on trailhead kiosk • At other main locations of entry (RM2). o When not at trailhead kiosk, may be installed on its own or with permitted use/map/wayfinding signage per general installation guidelines.

Rectangle • White background • Red, Black and Blue block backgrounds • Black border • Lettering o Black text o Black “NOTICE” o White “All Forest Users” o White contact information • See sign example • Yellow circle 10cm in diameter on sign per Trespass to Property Act.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 33. Example of Trail Entrance Risk Management Sign (RM1) for trailheads.

Figure 34. Example of Trail Entrance Risk Management Sign (RM2) for non-trailhead locations.

6.4. Distance Tab Multiple warning signs have distance tabs (DIS) associated with them (Table 29, Figure 35).

Table 29. Distance Tab (DIS) sign details.

Sign Type

Distance Tab - Warning

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Backing Material Reference code Size and Reference Code Shape Design

Text

Aluminum or poly (dependent on associated sign) DIS DIS: Height: 18” (55cm) Width:36” (30cm) DISsm: Height: 6” (15cm) Width:6” (15cm) Rectangle • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black Lettering • “###m”; where ### is the distance in meters

Figure 35. Distance Tab (DIS) design. # symbols to be replaced with appropriate distance.

6.5. Next Distance Tab Where a distance tab is required to explain that a situation exists over a certain distance a Next Distance Tab (NXD; Table 30, Figure 36) will be specified for use.

Table 30. Distance tab indicating a condition persists for a certain distance (NXD) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Text Location and Height

Distance Tab Aluminum or poly (dependent on associated sign) NXD Height: 6” (15cm) Width:8” (20cm) Rectangle • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black Lettering • “Next ###m” or “Next ##km”; where ### is the distance in meters or km for the distance that the hazard exists • Height measurement to bottom of tab

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 36. Next Distance Tab (NXD) design. Note that km may be replaced by m where appropriate.

6.6. Stop Signs Stop signs (Figure 37) will conform to traditional standards, or to the general intent of standards, such as those used in the Ontario Traffic Manual and by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.

To reduce the number of signs in the Forest and to provide dual benefit to the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, Northumberland County will attempt to conform to the OFSC stop sign standards while taking their own risk management and user needs into consideration (Table 31).

Table 31. Small Stop (ST1) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Printed material Text Support Location and Height

Small Stop Sign Aluminum ST1 Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Octagon • Red reflective background • White reflective border • “STOP” • White Reflective • Wood Post • Minimum of 1.5m and maximum of 10m from edge of travelled portion of intersecting roadway.

• Standard distance from travelled trail • Must consider visibility of intersecting traffic

Where a trail crosses a paved or surface treated road, a standard stop sign (Table 32) will be used. There may be locations where a standard stop sign, rather than a Small Stop Sign (ST1), is installed for greater clarity, such as a seasonal gravel road for automobile use. These locations will be site dependent and at the discretion of the County Forest’s management.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Table 32. Standard Stop sign (ST2) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design Text Securement Location and Height

Standard Stop Sign Aluminum or similar (dependent on stock availability) ST2 Height: 24” (60cm) Width:24” (60cm) Octagon • Red reflective background • White reflective border • “STOP” • White Reflective • Lag bolt with washer at top and bottom • Minimum of 1.5m and maximum of 10m from edge of travelled portion of intersecting roadway.

• Standard distance from travelled trail • Must take into account visibility of intersecting traffic

Figure 37. Stop sign design. Use of ST1 or ST2 based on plan specifications and other factors.

6.7. Yield A yield sign (Table 33, Figure 38) that is modified from the typical roadway yield sign at half the size (similar proportion reduction as ST1) can be installed where a motorized or non-motorized trail crossing warrants yielding to other traffic. Generally, non-motorized traffic will be required to yield to motorized traffic at a crossing or 3-way intersection.

Table 33. Yield sign (YLD) details.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Symbology Support, securement and location

Yield Sign Aluminum YLD Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Triangle • White reflective background • Red reflective inner triangle • Minimum of 1.5m and maximum of 5m from edge of travelled portion of intersecting roadway.

• Distance from trail per standard

Figure 38. Yield sign design. Grey dotted background shown for visibility of white border in plan, not on actual sign.

6.8. Stop Ahead Stop Ahead (Table 34, Figure 39) signs will precede all stop signs on motorized trails.

Large Stop Ahead signs (SA2) will be installed preceding any standard size Stop signs (ST2).

Table 34. Small stop ahead (SA1) and large stop ahead (SA2) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code and Size Shape Design

Location and Height

Stop Ahead Aluminum or poly (dependent on stock availability) SA1: Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) SA2: Height: 18” (45cm) Width:18” (45cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Stop sign symbol white reflective border with red reflective background.

• up to 1.5m to right of trail surface

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Where a trail intersects, either completely or as a junction, between the Stop sign and the Stop Ahead sign, a Distance tab (DIS) shall be installed below the Stop Ahead sign for clarity.

Figure 39. Stop Ahead (SA1, SA2) sign design.

6.9. Yield Ahead A yield ahead sign (Table 35, Figure 40) will precede any yield sign on motorized trails. A yield ahead sign may be placed before a yield sign on non-motorized trails if the potential speed approaching the yield sign could be a concern (e.g., a mountain bike or cross-country ski trail that approaches the yield sign on a downhill).

Table 35. Yield Ahead (YDA) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Location and Height

Yield Ahead Aluminum or poly (dependent on stock availability) YDA Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Yield sign symbol white reflective background with red reflective inner triangle.

• up to 1.5m to right of trail surface

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 40. Yield Ahead (YDA) sign design.

6.10. Road Crossing Road Crossing warning signs (Table 36, Figure 41) will be installed at: • • • • • •

Dunbar Road crossing at County Road 45 Dunbar Road crossing at Beagle Club Road Split Rail Trail crossing at Bowmanton Road Bates Road crossing at Bowmanton Road Motorized trail crossing at Bowmanton Road (westernmost crossing of Forest).

Ridge Road crossing at Beagle Club Road

There are other locations where trails cross roads, but it is very apparent that it is a road crossing. These crossings were chosen as they are low visibility or there is a potential for higher speeds. All crossings or intersections will have stop or yield signs which are the primary regulatory signs which users must adhere to. Warning signs provide additional, but non-mandatory information.

Table 36. Road crossing ahead (RDX) warning sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Text

Road Crossing Warning Signs Aluminum RDX Height: 18” (45cm) Width:18” (45cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black vehicle in bottom center • Black lettering • Centered

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Location and Height

Additional

• “Road Crossing” on two lines • Height measurement to bottom of tab • Must be at least 75m ahead of Stop Sign • Must be at least 25m ahead of Stop Sign Ahead if present.

• Must have Distance tab (DIS) installed below

Figure 41. Road crossing warning sign (RDX) design.

6.11. Trail Crossings Trail Crossing (Table 37, Figure 42 and Figure 43) signs shall be installed based on the decision trees under Trail Crossings/Intersections heading of this plan.

Table 37. Trail Crossing (TXD) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Text

Trail Crossing Warning Signs Aluminum TXD Height: 18” (45cm) Width:18” (45cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black silhouette of permitted users that may be crossing • Black lettering • Centered • “Trail X-ing” on two lines

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 42. Example trail crossing warning (TXD) signs. Different locations will require different use icon configurations.

Figure 43. Example of Trail Crossing Warning sign (TXD) with next distance tab (NXD) to indicate multiple crossings over a specified distance.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

6.12. Motorized Trail Crossing Yield Sign A motorized trail crossing yield sign (MTC; Table 38, Figure 44) will be installed based on the decision trees under Trail Crossings/Intersections heading of this plan.

Table 38. Motorized Trail Crossing Yield Sign (MTC) design specifications.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Text Location and Height

Motorized Trail Crossing Aluminum MTC Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Square • Yellow reflective background • Black Border • Yield Symbol (white reflective background with red reflective triangle) • “Motorized X-ing” • Black • See Trail Crossing decision tree (Section 4.14)

Figure 44. Motorized Trail Crossing (MTC) sign design.

6.13. Parking Lot Laneway Crossing Where a trail crosses a laneway into a parking lot, a Parking Lot Trail Crossing sign (PTX; Table 39, Figure 45) will be installed to warn vehicular traffic of the crossing.

Table 39. Parking lot crossing sign (PTX) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape

Parking Lot Laneway Crossing Aluminum or polycarbonate PTX Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) (along edges) Diamond

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Design Text Location and Height

• Yellow reflective background • Black Border • “Trail X-ing” • Black • Install within 10m of crossing. Where trail is crossing within of 20m of a roadway. Only traffic exiting the parking lot shall be warned of the trail crossing.

• May be installed at any distance from a stop or yield sign.

• Where it is within 20m of a stop sign, it should be offset 1.0 to 2.0m to the right of the distance of the stop sign.

Figure 45. Parking lot trail crossing (PTX) sign design.

6.14. Speed Limit

By County By-Law, the speed limit for Off-Road Vehicles (ORVs) other than snowmobiles is 30km/hr. Speed Limit signs for ORVs other than snowmobiles (MSL; Table 40,Figure 46) will be installed at main entrance points to the County Forest and any other locations that a reminder could be beneficial. These signs do not regulate snowmobile use.

Table 40. Motorized Trail Speed Limit sign (MSL) details. Regulates the speed of Off-Road Vehicles other than snowmobiles.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Printed material

Motorized trail speed limit sign Aluminum or poly (depending on availability MSL Height: 12” (30cm) Width:8” (20cm) Rectangle • White reflective background

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Symbology Text

• Black Border • “MAXIMUM 30 km/h”

Figure 46. Motorized Trail Speed Limit sign (MSL) design. Regulates the speed of Off-Road Vehicles other than snowmobiles.

6.15. Corner directional warning arrow The directional arrow to warn of a corner (Table 41, Figure 47) should only be installed where it can be reasonably anticipated or demonstrated that an Off-road Vehicle operator would require additional guidance and notification. In general, this would be on corners that have greater than a 45-degree angle.

The arrow should be installed to mark the direction of the curve and should be located at the outside apex of the curve where an operator can see it from the trail. The directional warning arrow will not indicate the degree of curvature.

Table 41. Corner directional arrow sign (CDA) details. Sign is to warn of upcoming corner.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Location and Height

Corner Directional Arrow Aluminum or poly (dependent on stock availability) CDA Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Square • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black directional arrow • up to 1.5m to right of trail surface

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 47. Corner Directional Arrow (CDA) design.

6.16. Slow The slow sign (Table 42, Figure 48) should precede a potential hazard, trail section where an ORV other than a snowmobile would benefit from a reduction in speed to negotiate or trail section where a slower speed is desired to accommodate other users/trails. There are no specific guidelines for installing a slow sign, but the following assists in assessing locations where this non-mandatory signage could be reasonable: • • • •

Where a corner directional arrow (CDA) is required to warn of a corner with a greater than 70-degree turn.

Where a series of multiple turns in short succession exists.

Where the trail narrows and there may be oncoming traffic.

Where a hill’s steepness results in a lack of visibility at its crest.

Table 42. Slow (SLO) sign details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design Text

Slow Aluminum or poly (dependent on stock availability) SLO Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black border • “SLOW”

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 48. Slow (SLO) sign design.

6.17. Trail Ends Trail Ends signage (Table 43, Figure 49) can be installed right at the point where the trail ends, or preferably prior to the end with a Distance Tab (DIS) below to indicate how much of the trail is remaining. The intent of trail ends signage is not to indicate when a trail ends at a junction or changes name, but to indicate when a trail ends at a location where the user will need to turn around. This is particularly important in locations where the trail ends at a hazard such as a steep drop or water feature.

The location of a Trail Ends sign requires consideration of the site. For example, where the final approach to the end comes after a major turn and is then on a straight stretch it may be most appropriate to place the sign closer to the end (e.g., Lookout Mountain or Fire Tower Trail). The sign should be placed on that straight stretch, so that the user can focus on it and is no longer concerned with manipulating their ATV, snowmobile, or off-road motorcycle. For non-motorized trails, the location could more reasonably be placed on a curve unless it is expected that a cyclist’s speed may be a factor in reduced visibility.

There will only be a single (TRE) sign at a specific location to reduce impacts on the aesthetics of the area at the end of the trail (e.g., natural feature, scenic value).

Table 43. Trail Ends sign (TRE) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Trail Ends Aluminum or polycarbonate TRE Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black Border

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Text Additional

• “Trail Ends” • Black • Must have distance tab indicating amount of trail remaining.

Figure 49. Trail Ends (TRE) sign design.

6.18. Two-way traffic/Narrow Trail It is not appropriate to install two-way traffic signage on all trails, but this should be installed where the existing trail width would narrowly accommodate two-way traffic of the permitted uses. Examples of this are on the Lookout Mountain trail or the approach to the Fire Tower Lookout. This signage is an assembly (Figure 50) where there is an upper Two-way Traffic Diamond (Table 44) installed above the Narrow Trail Tab (Table 45).

Two-way Traffic Signage would not be installed on pedestrian-only trails or where signage is not directionally marked for two-way traffic.

Table 44. Two-way traffic arrow sign (TTA) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Design

Additional

Two-way Traffic Arrows Aluminum or polycarbonate TTA Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Diamond • Yellow reflective background • Black Border • Two arrows pointing up and down (different directions) • Must have Narrow Trail Tab (NTT) below

Table 45. Narrow Trail Tab (NTT) sign details for supporting two-way traffic arrows (TTA) sign.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size and Reference Code Shape Design

Text

Narrow Trail Tab Aluminum or poly NTT Height: 6” (15cm) Width:12” (30cm) Rectangle • Yellow reflective background • Black border • Black Lettering • “Narrow Trail”

Figure 50. Two-way Traffic Arrow (TTA) with Narrow Trail Tab (NTT) sign design and arrangement illustration.

6.19. Do Not Enter The main reason for a do not enter sign in the County Forest is to regulate entry to areas that are used by maintenance and emergency services only. To reduce confusion between the total prohibition of entry rather than the prohibition of entry because of one-way traffic on a permitted trail a stylized County Forest –specific sign will be used to provide more information.

There may be situations where it is appropriate to regulate the entry of users because of one-way traffic or for regulation where no explanation is warranted. A modified standard traffic Do Not Enter sign will function in these circumstances.

6.19.a. Do Not Enter Stylized Original The current County Forest Do Not Enter signs (Table 46, Figure 51) will be considered acceptable and will continue to be used. Where a new sign is to be installed or an original sign is being replaced, the revised sign will be used.

Table 46. Current Do Not Enter sign (DNS) details.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Details Symbology Text

Do Not Enter – County Forest Stylized Original Aluminum DNS Uses TEM18 • White background above • Red Background below • Red “Do not enter” symbol - circle with inset line cutout on white background • Maintenance and Emergency Vehicles Only • White on red background

Figure 51. Stylized Do Not Enter sign (DNS) design. This design is currently in use and is considered acceptable.

6.19.b. Do Not Enter Stylized Revised Revision of the current stylized Do Not Enter sign (DNS) to a new stylized Do Not Enter Sign (Table 47, Figure 52) is to provide greater clarity to the message by including the words “Do not enter” and making the symbol more clearly visible by enlarging it.

Table 47. Revised Do Not Enter sign (DNR) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Details Symbology Text

Do Not Enter – County Forest Stylized Revised Aluminum DNR Uses TN2 • White reflective background • Red reflective circle with inset line cutout • “DO NOT ENTER” within red circle

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard • “Maintenance and Emergency Vehicles cut out from red rectangle at bottom revealing white lettering.

Figure 52. New Stylized Do Not Enter sign (DNR) design to replace current stylized Do Not Enter signs (DNS).

6.19.c. Non-stylized (Standard) The Non-stylized Do Not Enter sign (Table 48, Figure 53) is a typical design found on roadways and other areas although possibly a little smaller than in other situations. The use of the Do Not Enter sign will be minimal. Generally, this would be used on ORV trails where one-way traffic is desired due to width constraints. For the most part, one way traffic would be indicated by wayfinding signage facing the direction of travel.

Table 48. Non-stylized (standard type) Do Not Enter sign (DNE) details.

Sign Type Backing Material Reference code Size Shape Printed material Symbology Text

Do Not Enter Aluminum DNE Height: 12” (30cm) Width:12” (30cm) Square • White reflective background • Black Border • Red reflective circle with inset line cutout • “DO NOT ENTER” • White set on red circle

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard

Figure 53. Non-stylized (standard) Do Not Enter sign (DNE) design.

7.0 Inventory, Inspection, and Replacement 7.1. Signage Inventory A GIS-based signage inventory will be maintained by the County’s Forest Service. A preliminary inventory was carried out in 2016 and will be further refined beginning in 2018.

The inventory should be georeferenced and include information such as: • • • • •

When the sign was installed/replaced Size Material Installation location Condition

Where a sign was installed prior to the development of the inventory, its installation year shall be used as the installation date. Where the year it was installed is not known, its installation date will be the day it was first inventoried.

The inventory will provide staff with information that can be used to prioritize replacement or changes to installation as well as maintain a record for risk management.

7.2. Signage Inspection To ensure adequate maintenance, inspection and cleaning will occur in spring (April/May) and fall (October/November). These times provide a balance between available resources such as staffing (e.g., summer students to perform spring inspections and carry out replacement), periods of increased trail use/hunting seasons

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard and seasonal changes in trail use (e.g., winter motorized closure and cross-country skiing).

Exceptions to the inspection schedule will include any additional on-trail map signage and confidence markers which will be inspected once annually. These signs are not necessary, but provide additional confirmation, so they are lower priority and they are very numerous on the trails and would require more staff resources than available.

Signage inspection will include: • • • • • • •

Confirming sign is present Assessing supports and installation Ensuring that they are clean Ensuring that vegetation does not impeded sight lines Documentation and removal of any non-approved signage Ensure that signs mounted to trees are loose enough to provide for tree growth Indications of potentially decreased reflectivity

7.3. Trailhead Kiosk Inspections Trailhead kiosks were constructed by students at Cobourg Collegiate Institute (East Collegiate prior to amalgamation for some signs) and installed in co-operation with a private contractor and County staff. The general kiosk design was purchased from an architecture firm and then adjustments were made during construction by the high school students. The benefit of this partnership and student learning must not be devalued and needs to be considered during future inspections and decision-making.

Trailhead kiosk inspections shall occur in parallel with signage inspections. The following characteristics should be specifically assessed and guidance for this is provided within Section 2 of the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual; Material Defects: Wood. Based on that guidance, the kiosks will be inspected for the following: • • • • • • • •

Checks, splits and shakes o Cracking, splintering, shattering and crushing Weathering Signs of rot/decay Insect damage Abrasion and wear Wear at connections/connection deficiencies Unsafe protrusions such as nails or splintered wood Fire and Chemical damage

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard To assess the wooden footings, the outer “legs” on the front and back of the inspector must dig down 60cm.

It is recommended that within 2 years of the adoption of this plan that a structural assessment of the trailhead kiosks be carried out. A contractor such as an engineer or similar with experience in assessing the structural fitness should be hired to carry out these assessments. At a minimum, the assessments should include: • • • •

Current conditions and structural health and integrity Immediate structural needs Future structural needs Recommendations on further inspections

7.4. Retroreflectivity inspections Any retroreflective signs shall be inspected for the reflective performance of the sign a minimum of once every two years and not more than 30 months from the previous inspection to ensure that it meets the intent of retroreflectivity.

During the inspection, the signs will be tested using a vehicle’s low-beam headlights at a distance of 50m. Inspection must occur no earlier than 30 minutes after sunset. The performance will be classified as acceptable, marginal or unacceptable. Any unacceptable signs should be replaced and marginal signs would likely require replacement at the next interval.

If resources allow for the use of a reflectometer, the guidelines for using that reflectometer shall be used for inspection and would replace the visual inspection.

7.5. Replacement The following table (Table 49) outlines standards for time until a sign needs to be replaced following damage or loss, the date by which the installation standards outlined in this plan should be met for any presently installed signage and the date by which conversion to any signage designs should occur.

The conversion of signage to meet the standards can be costly and beyond the resources financially and labour-wise for the County’s Forest Service. The following will be the expected timetables for replacement or alteration of current signage inventory and should aid in minimizing annual costs. To facilitate this, County Forest staff should review the current inventory and develop an approach to re-inventory and collect any needed information and develop a replacement or alteration plan based on these time frames.

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Although the conversion of main trail markers will be undertaken gradually, there is a more immediate need for the signs to include the text “recreational trail”. So, stickers will be developed that can be added to the signs to indicate this. Where a sticker cannot be added because of a polycarbonate covering a small sign with a blue background and “Recreational Trail” in white text will be added to the current signage assembly.

Table 49. Milestones for the conversion and installation of signage as detailed in this signage plan. Damage replacement refers to the maximum time between a sign being observed as damaged or missing and its replacement. Installation standards refers to the physical installation standards including height from ground and distance from trail. Sign conversion refers to the actual replacement of current signs with any revised designs or standards.

Sign Code Parking Entrance Trailhead Maps Information and Etiquette Trail Access Information Emergency Location Markers Wayfinding Main Marker

THM IAE

Damage Installation Replacement standards 60 days* Dec. 31, 2019 30 days** 60 days** -

AI1 or AI2

60 days

LM1/LM2

30 days

Dec. 31, 2017

August 31, 2018

WM1 or WM2

30 days

Dec. 31, 2017

• End of Life or December 31, 2023.

PRK

-

Sign Conversion End of Life -

• Addition of “Recreational Trail” stickers by December 31, 2017.

• Beagle Club trail revisions: August 31, 2017 Wayfinding Main Markers with Distances Wayfinding Guidance Markers

MD1 or MD2

30 days

TG1, TG2, TG3 or TG4

***

-

Dec. 31, 2017

-

• End of Life or December 31, 2023.

• Addition of “Recreational

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Trail” stickers by December 31, 2017.

• Beagle Club trail revisions: December 31, 2017 Confidence Markers

SC1-SC4 and UC1-UC4

60 days

Dec. 31, 2017

N/A; currently meet standard.

Beagle Club trail revisions: August 31, 2019

Beagle Club Access Roads

BRO/BRN

30 days

Dec. 31, 2018

• December 31, 2020 • Addition of “Recreational Trail” stickers by November 1, 2017.

Distance Marker Distance To Rest Areas Permitted Use

Distance Tab Next Distance Tab Stop Sign (small and large) Yield Stop Ahead Yield Ahead Road Crossing Trail Crossing Motorized Trail Crossing Parking Lot Trail

WDM DRA/DRG

*** 30 days

PU1/PU2

30 days

DIS NXD

ϯ

ST1/ST2

7days

YLD SA1/SA2 YDA RDX TXD MTC

14 days 14 days 30 days 14 days 60 days 30 days

PTX

60 days

ϯ

Dec. 31, 2018 Dec. 31, 2017

Dec. 31, 2017 -

End of Life • Addition of “Recreational Trail” stickers by November 1, 2017.

December 31, 2017 August 31, 2018 September 31, 2018 September 31, 2017 December 31, 2017 August 31, 2018 August 31, 2018 August 31, 2018

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Northumberland County Forest Signage Standard Crossing Motorized Trail Speed Limit Corner Directional Arrow Slow Trail Ends Two-way traffic + Narrow Trail Do Not Enter Stylized/Do Not Enter Caveats

MSL

14 days

-

December 31, 2017

CDA

30 days

-

December 31, 2018

SLO TRE TTA/NTT

*** 14 days 30 days

-

December 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 December 31, 2018

DNS/DNR/DNE ***

December 31, 2018

December 31, 2019

*If supports posts are damaged in winter, replacement may not be possible until ground is thawed. Installation should occur within 60 days of thaw. **If trailhead kiosk is damaged, then map installation may be hindered by repair time. ***At discretion of forest services ĎŻ Same as sign that it is installed with.

Damage replacement time begins when the missing sign is observed by staff or volunteers. For missing or damaged signs reported by the public, Forest Services staff will confirm that a sign is missing within 10 business days and the damage replacement time will begin upon confirmation.

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