By: John Michael Pierobon
Broward County maintains street signs and the City of Fort Lauderdale maintains park signs. Both do a poor job of it. This is an issue of public safety, legal clarity, and civic pride.
On my street, many "NO PARKING" signs are in poor condition. At least half of them are either hiding behind palm trees, hiding behind a "STOP" sign, faded to the point of being illegible, bent, twisted or no longer perpendicular to the ground.
A few years ago, I called the county because there was a "NO PARKING" sign that was knocked down. The county came three weeks later to replace the sign. However, the new sign was installed so the arrow of the "NO PARKING" sign points to my neighbor's driveway. I called the county to report that the sign was improperly installed. No one came to inspect the sign. Today, that sign remains in place, cautioning drivers not to park in my neighbor's driveway, which perhaps my neighbor appreciates, but it is still not oriented correctly.
One "STOP" sign on my street is being held in place by one rusty bolt, just waiting for the next hurricane to turn it into a flying guillotine. Another "STOP" sign is clearly not perpendicular to the ground. Based on the response I got from the county regarding the improperly installed "NO PARKING" sign, I am discouraged from reporting this.
As I drive around the county, I observe poorly maintained street signs on other streets. I wonder if revenue from the penny sales tax for transportation is used for maintaining signs.
I live near three small parks that are littered with signs. It reminds me of the song "Signs" written by Five Man Electrical Band because the beautiful scenery was obscured by many signs.
Each rule has its own sign. Most of these park signs are either dented, on rusty poles, illegible or contradict each other. One says "NO DOGS IN PARK", while another says "Domesticated animals permitted with a MAXIMUM 6 FEET LEASH". Still another says "TRAINED SERVICE ANIMALS ONLY" and a fourth reads "Pets are prohibited east of A1A". Fort Lauderdale municipal code allows for dogs east of A1A, just not on the beach where the sign is posted.
The inconsistency confuses visitors and even enforcement officers.
Five months after passing an ordinance to ban smoking in parks, the city of Fort Lauderdale finally slapped stickers on existing signs about this prohibition that do not get people's attention.
Earlier this year, I saw a park ranger walk in front of someone smoking in a park. When I asked her why she did nothing about it, she said she did not know that smoking is prohibited in parks. I mentioned the posted sign.
For signs to be effective, they need to be colorful, with a good foreground/background contrast, icons and lettering at least four inches high. Large lettering is needed for those who have trouble reading small print and is essential for accessibility. Icons are for those who do not read at all, or prefer visual symbols.
Plenty of other communities do it the right way. Duluth, Minnesota, has installed effective and unobtrusive signs at each beach entrance next to a garbage receptacle. It is one sign with all the beach rules, with large lettering and icons. Fort Lauderdale should do the same. Replace the visual clutter of multiple small signs with one strategically placed, effective and unobtrusive sign at every beach and park entrance.
Effective signs lead to safer streets and cleaner parks and beaches.
