The Colors of Florence

 

Maybe you've noticed how state road signs are always green. Until a few years ago, all Florence street signs were also green. There's a reason for this:

Green is often chosen for directional and informational street signs (like highway signs and street names) for a few key reasons: 

1. Provides Direction and Guidance:

• Green signs are primarily used for navigation, indicating upcoming exits, destinations, mile markers, and other directional information.
• They provide information without being overly demanding of a driver's attention, allowing them to focus on the road. 

2. Enhances Readability:

• The combination of green and white lettering offers excellent contrast, making the signs easy to read, especially at night.
• This color scheme can also make the letters appear larger and more readable. 

3. Psychological Effects:

• Green is generally considered a calming and non-distracting color.
• Research suggests that being in a green environment can reduce heart rate, which can contribute to a less stressful driving experience, especially in high-speed situations. 

4. Blends with the Environment:

• Green is a cool color and blends well with natural surroundings, minimizing visual distraction for drivers. 

5. Historical Context:

• The use of green for highway signs has been a national standard in the U.S. for a considerable time, contributing to its current use for general travel and directional information. 

Then a few years ago, a UNA student, someone who doesn't even live here anymore, convinced Mayor Steve Holt to replace the standard green signs with purple in select areas on campus and downtown. No matter how "cute" they may be, they're still not as safe. 

But the coordinated color disruption didn't stop there. Enter Andy Betterton who replaced the largely green City seal with a gray emblem more suitable to a museum or funeral home. 

Did Handy Dandy Andy stop there? No, he recruited a friend to redo the City website. All green backgrounds suddenly changed to blue.

Now Florence has no theme. No continuity. It's as if some addled DEI officer wanted purple, gray, and blue to have an equal chance along side the green. 

It's enough to make you move to Sheffield.