RS 1 cycle highway: strategy for a network-identity - prototype

One of the strong points of the design project of the German cycle highway RS1 is that the designers have created a network-identity on a larger scale. With its letter-number code, the new RS1-brand refers to a broader future network of cycle highways in the region. While the central brand colour of the RS1 is blue, the plan is to opt for other brand colours for the other cycle highways. But are there enough contrasting colours to differentiate the future cycle highway network?  

The five Flemish provinces in Belgium have opted for F-numbers and go beyond the regional scale. The collaboration resulted in a network-branding on state level (Flanders). Together with the F-numbers in the Netherlands, Flanders and the Netherlands will achieve a remarkable international scale. But what about the F-cycle highways to Brussels? And what will be the branding-strategy when the French speaking parts of Belgium invest in cycle highways? The best solution is that Brussels uses the same blue code-logo strategy with the more universal letter C instead of F. 

CHIPS recommends new starting regions to opt for a more European scale of branding. This can be achieved by implementing C-numbers. The C not only refers to the English word “cycling” and “cycle highway”, but also to the ancient Greek word 'cyclos' or 'Kyklos' (ancient Greek κύκλος). The C can therefore work in different languages like Dutch, Danish, French or Italian (f.i. cyclostrade, cyclostrada). With its ancient roots in Greek and Latin, the C is more universal that the Dutch "F" or the Germen "RS" (Radschnellweg). Browse CHIPS' readability toolbox to learn more on this topic.