The iconic Metro map is being redesigned more than thirty years after it was first unveiled. The original designer Lance Wyman has been chosen to update his creation. There are a lot of issues to consider such as geographic accuracy vs. clarity what services to include (commuter rail connections the Purple Line streetcars etc.) the addition of new lines and upcoming changes to existing lines (Silver Line Blue Line changes) and how to manage long station names just to name a few.

Wyman is chatting about the redesign process right now on The Washington Post web site. Click here to participate or to read the transcript (chat ends at noon). Greater Greater Washington recently held a contest in which amateur designers tried their hand at redesigning the Metro map. How will the ideas that were presented there compare to the final official design?

While subway maps are a matter of particular interest for transit geeks like us they are essential for helping visitors and tourists get around cities and they even shape how residents view their city.