On Premise Commercial Signing
On premise commercial signs are those signs that identify the location and nature of businesses adjacent to public roads or within public (e.g., transportation terminals) or commercial (e.g., shopping centers, theme parks, stadiums) properties. The planning, design, and placement of these signs are often regulated by local planning and zoning codes. Frequently, there are disagreements between the sign owners and the regulators on issues related to sign size and letter height, placement, illumination, or other issues of interest to the parties involved.
Members of our staff have specialized knowledge about the performance aspects of various static and dynamic sign attributes through research and practice, which can be brought to cases involving questions about sign design and placement.
Our experts include authors of a series of reports related human factors considerations regarding:
- Sign size
- Sign copy
- Mounting height
- Lighting and illumination
- Electronic message signs
They have also worked on issues related to:
- Planning codes
- Zoning regulations
- Model signing ordinances
- Standards and guidelines for sign design and placement
Dr. Martin Pietrucha is a leading expert on visual communication working on research and applications related to traffic control devices for streets and highways, and commercial sign planning, design, and use. He has authored or co-authored over 30 publications related to these areas. He is former chair of the National Academies’ Transportation Research Board Committee on Traffic Control Devices and the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Traffic and Highway Safety Committee (now ASCE’s Transportation Safety Committee).