Post on 19-Jan-2016
Access for Individuals who are visually impaired or blind
Janet M. BarlowAccessible Design for the Blind
2015 Walking SummitOctober 29, 2015
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
2
What do we mean by visually impaired or blind?
Intersection as seen by someone with “normal” vision
3Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Central vision loss
4Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Peripheral Vision Loss
5Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Overall acuity loss
6Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Totally blind
7Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
8
Pedestrians with low vision (many of our growing elderly population)
May have difficulty with depth perception
Problems in judging location of vehicles Problems in judging approach speed of vehicles
May have reduced contrast sensitivityDifficulty reading signs and signals
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
9
How do pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired get around?
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
10
Yes! people who are blind do travel independently to new places
Travel to unfamiliar destinations for shopping, errands, visiting friends, children’s activities, work, or other purposes, just like those who are fully sightedMay have to figure out intersections and intersection crossings when they arrive at themMay be unaware of changes and may make dangerous decisions when familiar intersections have been changed
Techniques and aids used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired
Sighted (human) guide White caneDog guideTelescope or other low vision aidsNo aid
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
11
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
12
Aids and techniques for obstacle and curb detection
Long white cane - used as a probe of the walking surface, identification
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
13
Aids and techniques for obstacle and curb detection
Dog guideGuides around obstaclesStops at curbs or drop-offs
Low vision aid, such as telescope
Used only for specific tasks, ie reading sign
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
Orientation and alignment cues
Slight slopes and changes in surface texturesSpecific textures that are detectableSidewalk and/or grass line or building lineTraffic – both parallel to travel path and perpendicular to travel pathAccessible pedestrian signalsOther pedestrians, sun, other cuesAwareness of intersecting streets and general layout of area
14
Street crossing tasks
Locate edge of the streetDetermine where to begin crossing (locate crosswalk)Establish crossing direction and alignmentDetermine traffic control and use pushbutton, if necessary Decide when to begin crossingMaintain alignment during crossing
15Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Traditional street crossing strategies
Walk up to cornerMaintain travel directionListen through a signal cycleCross with the surge of traffic traveling parallel to crosswalkMaintain direction by listening to vehicles and other cues
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
16
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
17
Designs that make travel safer
Additional care is needed make streets and sidewalks accessible to individuals who are visually impaired
Sidewalk design featuresStreet crossings and access to information about signals
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
18
Sidewalks
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
19
Would this sidewalk design be a problem for someone who’s visually impaired?
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
20
How about this sidewalk for someone who’s blind?
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
21
Clear straight sidewalk path with grouping of furniture
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
22
Avoid obstacles (protruding objects) that cannot be detected by cane
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
23
Tree maintenance needs attention
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
24
Barrier where crossing is closed
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
25
Street crossings
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
26
Blended transitions – can’t tell where the plaza ends and the street begins
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
27
Add detectable warnings (truncated domes) to indicate location of street
NOT detectable warnings
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
28
Detectable warning = truncated domes
29Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Crosswalk offset from corner can be problematic
30Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Provide guidance to crosswalk
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
31
Crosswalk in line with sidewalk
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
32
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
33
Alignment of curb ramp and gutter affects crossing alignment of blind pedestrians
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
34
Potential treatments – wayfinding
Design of sidewalkTactile features or fencesSound cues from audible signals
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
35
Signal features intended to help pedestrians may not be usable
without accessible pedestrian signals
LPIExclusive pedestrian phases, including at midblock crossingsProtected left turnsPedestrian pushbuttons
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
36
Traffic cues may not be available or usable where there are:
Low volumes of traffic parallel to crosswalk
Crossing major streetT intersections (crossing top of T)
Exclusive pedestrian phasesLeading pedestrian intervalsHeavy turning traffic volumesMasking sounds
Pedestrian Pushbuttons
Is there a pushbutton?Where is it?Have I found the pushbutton for the street I’m crossing?
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
37
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
38
Access may be provided by Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS)
Features of new APSSpeakers at the pushbuttonPushbutton Locator toneAudible and Vibrotactile Walk indicationsTactile arrowAutomatic volume adjustment
Specific location of devices
Pushbutton-integrated APS
Pushbutton locator tone during FDW and DWRapid tick WALK indication
39Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015,
Slide
Click icon to add clip art
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
40
Pushbutton-integrated APS
Pushbutton locator tone during FDW and DWSpeech WALK indication
APS Location is critical
Provide information to the user through proximity to the departure pointSignal can be quieter due to proximity
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, SlideSlide 41
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
42
Installation recommendations
Crosswalk B
Crosswalk A Pushbutton pole may be a stub pole, or may also support pedhead
aps-int-03.dwg(Not to scale)
Idealplacement
Pole
Pushbutton-integrated APS
Pedhead (not shown for clarity)
Sound from pushbutton speaker
Symbol Key
Beside the landing of the curb rampSeparated by more than 10 feet from other APS on cornerNearest the crosswalk line furthest from the center of the intersection
Installation example - APS aligned with crosswalk lines
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, SlideSlide 43
Reachable from level landing, within 10 ft of curb, within 5 feet of crosswalk lines
Modifications that make programs and facilities accessible to
pedestrians who are blind or who have low vision are helpful to ALL
pedestrians
Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
44
Questions??
For more information, contact:
Janet M. Barlow Accessible Design for the Blind
770-317-0611jmbarlow@accessforblind.org