Access for Individuals who are visually impaired or blind

Janet M. BarlowAccessible Design for the Blind

2015 Walking SummitOctober 29, 2015

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What do we mean by visually impaired or blind?

Intersection as seen by someone with “normal” vision

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Central vision loss

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Peripheral Vision Loss

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Overall acuity loss

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Totally blind

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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

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How do pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired get around?

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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

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Aids and techniques for obstacle and curb detection

Long white cane - used as a probe of the walking surface, identification

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Sidewalks

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Would this sidewalk design be a problem for someone who’s visually impaired?

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How about this sidewalk for someone who’s blind?

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Clear straight sidewalk path with grouping of furniture

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Avoid obstacles (protruding objects) that cannot be detected by cane

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Tree maintenance needs attention

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Barrier where crossing is closed

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Street crossings

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Blended transitions – can’t tell where the plaza ends and the street begins

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Add detectable warnings (truncated domes) to indicate location of street

NOT detectable warnings

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Detectable warning = truncated domes

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Crosswalk offset from corner can be problematic

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Provide guidance to crosswalk

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Crosswalk in line with sidewalk

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Alignment of curb ramp and gutter affects crossing alignment of blind pedestrians

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Potential treatments – wayfinding

Design of sidewalkTactile features or fencesSound cues from audible signals

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Signal features intended to help pedestrians may not be usable

without accessible pedestrian signals

LPIExclusive pedestrian phases, including at midblock crossingsProtected left turnsPedestrian pushbuttons

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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?

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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

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Click icon to add clip art

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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

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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

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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

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Questions??

For more information, contact:

Janet M. Barlow Accessible Design for the Blind

770-317-0611jmbarlow@accessforblind.org