Barriers to Wayfinding in Downtown St. Paul: An Evaluation

Abstract

As the capital of Minnesota, St. Paul is known for its host of award-winning restaurants, the Mississippi riverfront, and large entertainment venues. Although the downtown area is easily walkable, our client, the Capitol River Council (CRC), has heard from residents, visitors, cultural institutions, and businesses alike that people sometimes struggle to figure out their way through the skyways or streets and that zoning requirements that prevent exterior signage may make parts of downtown seem confusing and desolate. This evaluation sought to understand the barriers to wayfinding present in downtown St. Paul so the CRC can better advocate for improvements to the system. These questions were answered through a variety of research methodologies, including surveys, interviews, a review of literature, and a code comparison. The business owner survey yielded 68 responses with 5 follow-up interviews, and the residents and visitors survey had 320 responses. While the original intent was to receive a higher response rate, we believe that the patterns found throughout the various methodologies point towards common barriers, though additional research is needed to verify these findings.