10 replies to this topic

[Esther Mandeno]

Hello All!

I volunteer for a local trail advocacy group and I am working on a map to show trail segments that are planned along a section of road. I don't have the trail alignments yet, I know they are not going to go down the middle of the road but I needed to put something on the map to work with. The actual alignments will most likely go along the north side of the road to match an existing paved trail.

Anyway, with that said, the map is primarily going to be used to:
1) get people exciting about the new trail,
2) get people to donate money to help with all the preliminary work needed to build the trail, and
3) let folks know what we are doing.

There is an upcoming event on the 26th (called Tour de Fat, the Belgium Brewing company (I think) puts it on and we get tons of money from the sale of lots of beer). This 24x36 poster will be placed where folks will be picking up their beer tokens and stuff. Any and all suggestions are welcome that will make this map easier to read and get a bunch of potentially drunk people empty their pockets!

Sorry, again, I only have a link, still haven't figured out how to export my maps at a decent resolution but small file size...so here's an ftp site link:

Thanks to all who look...oh, by the way, I'm doing this all in ArcMap as that's the quickest and easiest for me - I'm doing this for free of course.

[Hans van der Maarel]

Looks like the link asks for a password

Do you have any way of putting a PDF somewhere online that doesn't require passwords or ftp or something?

[Esther Mandeno]

Hello Hans!

Sorry for the delay, had to go into town...

Yes, absolutely right. You do need a password, so I totally messed that up. I removed the file. And I finally found the setting to reduce the JPEG quality (from Max to 50, whatever that means)! I can't believe I never click on that other tab...anyway it's attached now.

Oops! Trying to attach, now it won't let me! Sorry, let me try this again...

Attached Files

•  ttfbca.zip   723.99K   101 downloads

[DaveB]

Nice start, good cause!

In the title and the label on the map you have Reynold Way, but in the legend you have Reynolds Way

The inset/overview map kind of blends into the main map. Is there something you could do to separate them a bit more? Maybe a drop shadow or a stronger border?
I don't know the area, but I'm wondering, does the overview show a large enough area for your likely viewers to get the context, where the main map fits into the wider landscape?

Are you encouraging drinking and biking?

[BioGeoMan]

Hi Esther,

What a great project...bicycle advocacy!! And from a bicycle enthusiast, thank you for taking on this project for free. A few comments:

• I am not sure that a black and white aerial photo evokes a "need" for cyclists to give to the cause. (even if they are drunk). I would argue that some sort of color representation of the surrounding area may work better, although difficult to do in ArcMap.
• I cannot discern what the inset map is supposed to be showing...again, maybe an inset map that doesn't use aerial imagery but instead is a representation of the area may be better.
• If you stick with the BW imagery, maybe change the color of the annotation on the map that labels features. The BW labels are hard to see against the imagery.
• The title font may need to be changed to a more "exciting" font and maybe cut the title to "Creating Truckee Connections: The Brockway Trail" The rest of the title is a little bit much, that information can be included in the text descriptions.
• If you are asking for money and support, place the text you have under the scale bar in a more prominent place...and make it larger so people are forced to read it. That way, they will know that you are asking for support/money.
• The Truckee Trails logo is smaller than your company logo!! I know that by doing this project for free, you want the opportunity to advertise your business, but your logo shouldn't be bigger than your client's...just my opinion.
• Again, if you are asking for support, make the Truckee Trails logo bigger, its website address more prominent, include their phone number, and mailing address. Give people information in a "blatant" way so they can't miss it.

Thanks for sharing Esther!

[Esther Mandeno]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I'll make the correction to Reynolds Way (I'm not sure if it's with or without an 's' - will have to check) and will consider all the other changes. I hadn't even noticed that my logo was bigger than the Truckee Trails Foundation's (TTF) logo! I just fit their logo on top in the title bar and in order for it to fit into that space, it got small. But yes, you are right - my logo shouldn't be bigger! Funny, nobody on the board mentioned anything about it - what they must think of me...

I went with the aerial because that is what the board wanted. I suggested black and white because with the color, the photo is very striking and that's all that you see. Maybe I should add a transparency to the photo? I agree that the inset/overview map would be better with a thicker border and without the aerial. And yes, it's about getting money so, I'll be sure to make that more clear!

Thank you everyone for your input!

[mikeb226]

I'm gonna second the recommendations BioGeoMan said before.

Also, if I were in line to get beer tokens, this wouldn't stand out too much to me.

I would definitely pump up the use of color. If anything, add in some parcel boundaries as a .5pt yellow line and green shading over the golf parcel with a 65% transparency and some kind of shading that show the parks.

What are the buildings to the right of the McIver Arena? Is that part of a complex that would benefit from this trail? Perhaps a label would help.

Anyway, yes its a good start.

Happy Trails!

[Esther Mandeno]

Hello Again,

If you all have time, please take a look at this second version. I didn't change much but I did try to make it "better". I'm not sure if I succeeded. The color choices are completely mine, for better or worse. And they want the aerial (either color or bw).

Thanks in advance,

Attached Files

•  Truckee_Trails_Foundation_Brockway_Connection_Advocacy_Map_v2.zip   673.44K   47 downloads

[BioGeoMan]

Hi Esther! Great improvement, just a few comments:

• Now that the aerial is in color, maybe change the symbology of the trails so they contrast with the aerial a bit more...maybe red. The trails are the focus of the map portion of the poster, so they should stand out a bit more.
• I would ditch the north arrow...it is barely noticeable up there in the NW corner.
• The title font still doesn't seem too exciting to me...but maybe that's just me.
• Some of the white annotation is difficult to read over the lighter portions of the aerial.
• For next time: A design critique...remember you don't need all your supporting text to be inside a text box, let it flow a bit...think outside the box!

Great poster!

[mikeb226]

Ahh...much better!

I would second the notion of putting the proposed trail in red or maybe hot pink. I'd also add that the existing trail should also be a brighter color maybe yellow or purple.

As far as the purpose of the map goes, have they considered talking to their county planning department or state natural resources department? There a few hundred grants through a few tens (?) of government offices just for trail development.

At least there is here in Pennsylvania.....

[Esther Mandeno]

Yeah, the problem with our board is that we are all volunteers and we really don't have anyone at the moment that is very grant savvy. I worked for California State Parks for over 12 years in a small natural resource office and all our work was grant funded. So I know there is money out there but I was never the one writing the grants - my boss did that! I'll have to do some research and during our next board meeting bring up the subject.

Thanks!