[info_design, street_blades] Peachtree Corners, Gwinnett Co, Georgia

1144. Doing a Google search on the keywords sign toppers today, I came on the program that the community association of an area of Gwinnett Country, Georgia known as Peachtree Corners (this being a part of the northern part of the Greater Atlanta area) has implemented to increase community pride: tastefully designed sign-toppers, reasonably priced at $50 a throw. Any citizen can buy one, and the County will apparently install them for you, free of charge.

In viewing the unveiling of one, I got an unexpected gift: a good look at the rather well-designed sign blades that presumably are standard in Gwinnett County:

Peachtree Corners, GA, County road blades with neighborhood sign topper.
Photo by Sean Dunlap; used with permission

This design works well; it gets a lot right. The street name (or specific) is big and clear, in a an FHWA-Variant font, and in mixed case, which is actually more readable than completely majuscule (we'll discuss why in another discourse). It doesn't end there. The "street type" (or generic) and the directional suffix (NW, in this case) are formatted well and lined up straight on the baseline. The specific name is slightly condensed, which allows for effective setting of the generic and directional without crowding (and complete spellings at that–note LANE and DRIVE, not LN and DR).

The block number is given additional informational weight by the addition of a simple triangle, which functions as an arrowhead, pointing in the direction of increasing addresses.

These street blades, loaded with good design, give the glancer what they need as well as the cautious observer. Literally at a glance you will know where you are and which direction you're headed. Bravo on this, and thanks to webmonster Sean Dunlap of the United Peachtree Corners Civic Association for permission to use his photo.

If you live in Peachtree Corners and want to get one for your corner, here's a bit of information that might get your started. Here at the Times, we're all about terrior, even if you aren't lucky enough to be here in Oregon.

(As a PS, we want to note there are an amazing number of things in central Georgia named Peachtree. Someone once told us that there's no less than sixteen streets named for Peachtree alone, which reminds us of a joke. Q:What are the first five words you hear in Atlanta when someone directions? A: "First you go to Peachtree...")

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