A bonding pad such as for a ball grid array includes a conductive pad having a top surface and a first interface surface in contact with a signal trace of a substrate, and a plating layer having a bottom surface in direct contact with the top surface of the conductive pad. The plating layer includes one or more protrusions extending toward the signal trace in a direction generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the signal trace. Each of the one or more protrusions includes two parallel sidewalls extending upwardly from the bottom surface of the plating layer, and a second interface surface contiguous with the bottom surface of the plating layer. The second interface surface is positioned over and in direct contact with a top surface of the signal trace. The protrusions prevent the connection to the signal trace from being compromised.