THE man who designed New York City’s famous subway system map has died at the age of 87.
Michael Hertz, through his firm Michael Hertz Associates, created the map’s current design in 1979 after previous creations failed to endear themselves to New York locals.
The subway system was rundown and with crime heavily on the rise in the city during the previous two decades, use of the railways were at their lowest in sixty years and few tourists were ever brave enough to head underground.
With help from his team, Hertz added streets, reshaped parks, distorted boroughs to fit the geography of the area accurately as well as making the map easier to read.
Out went disorientating straight lines and In came a variety of colours to illuminate each one.
Mr Hertz even hired a Japanese designer who rode every inch of the subway with his eyes closed co he could better depict the curves in the railway.
The final design was described as "the clearest and most usable map the subway system has had in years", and one of the bright spots of a crumbling subway system.
An example of the subway map design in 1939It’s since been tweaked a few times, but the basic design Hertz created still remains to this day.
In 2004, he told the New York Times that he appreciated every time he saw tourists using the map for the first time.
"I still get a pleasure in a subway station when I see somebody in lederhosen looking at the map," he said.
See More: Michael Hertz, New York City, Subway Map
