The observation that the colors were meant to be absorbed over time rather than explicitly set out reminds me of the old NYC Metro mosaics. https://www.untappedcities.com/secret-meaning-behind-colors-...
While no one would ever navigate by learning what the mosaics mean, it's a fantastic setup for the expected audience of commuters. Give it a month and your brain would associate a given color with your stop coming up soon, and make navigation easier.