NYC’s new parking signs designed by Windows 8 logo designer–looks like Metro

NYC’s parking signs suck. They always lead to  some guess work.  Apparently WRITING IN ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME DOESN’T MAKE THINGS EASIER TO READ.  Well NYC just unveiled their updated signs and…the damn things are Metro inspired. The team behind the design is Pentagram who is also the team behind Microsoft’s Windows 8 logo. And what did they do for the street signs?  Less words, more simplicity, bold aesthetics (yeah with that bold box in the corner) and a font that’s just a degree off of Segoe.

Here’s the before and after:

Just to give you a sense, here’s a Word mockup (yeah I lack skill) in Segoe (the font in the signs is not Segoe but it is similar):

Apparently, the design formerly known as Metro does work in metropolitan settings. Makes sense.