Image by Aimee Custis used with permission.

In time for (would be) peak cherry blossoms, WMATA has installed the first set of compass rose decals at four Metro stations in downtown DC.

As you may recall, last year Greater Greater Washington launched MetroGreater, a contest to crowd-source quick, relatively inexpensive ideas for making Metro a little better for riders. The winning idea was to install compass rose decals outside Metro station exits to help riders find their bearings after leaving a station.

Last week, WMATA installed the first round of compass roses in four stations: Gallery Place, Metro Center, Smithsonian, and Union Station. I checked out the one at the 13th and G Street entrance on Monday.

Image by the author.

It was mid-afternoon, so there were relatively few riders coming and going. Most of them seemed to know exactly where they were headed and how to get there. These mid-day passengers didn't seem to need cardinal directions.

If you know the compass rose is there, it's easy to spot. If you don't, it might be easy to miss.

Image by the author.

Maybe in an attempt to respond to concerns that the decals would create pedestrian traffic jams, this one went in several feet from the top of the escalator. The downside is it's outside the natural walking path between the entrance to the sidewalk and the escalator, so people might miss it.

A friendly DowntownDC tourism guide dressed in a bright red jacket confirmed my observations. “I just noticed this for the first time today”, she said, wondering when and how it got there. She said the compass rose “could be helpful, if people know their directions.”

But she pointed out that it seemed to duplicate the “Discover DC” informational sign just outside the station entrance. In addition to a (somewhat outdated) map, it also includes a compass rose at the base of the sign.

Image by the author.

We stood for a minute, chatting and watching people leave and enter the station. “I might have put it right outside where it's brighter. It's pretty dark in there,” she noted, referring to the covered area sheltering the escalators. She jotted down the names of the other stations that have decals and said she'd share them with her team so people know they're there.

Our conversation wrapped up when she spotted a family of out-of-town tourists who looked lost. “Can I help you find something?” she asked. “Astro Chicken and Donuts” came a chorus of responses. “Down that block” the guide responded.

It's not hard to imagine how the compass roses will come in handy for at least some Metro riders. But I wonder if a sign pointing to the nearest chicken and donut hot spot would be more of an instant hit.

Have you noticed the compass roses on your commute? What do you think? Do you have any advice for WMATA for future placement of the decals at other stations?

Sarah Guidi was Greater Greater Washington's Managing Director from 2015 to 2018. She now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her family.