who are visually impaired or blind Janet M Barlow Accessible Design for the Blind 2015 Walking Summit October 29 2015 What do we mean by visually impaired or blind Accessible Design for the Blind 10292015 Slide ID: 918727
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Access for Individuals who are visually impaired or blind
Janet M. Barlow
Accessible Design for the Blind
2015 Walking Summit
October
29, 2015
Slide2What do we mean by visually impaired or blind?
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Slide3Intersection as seen by someone with “normal” vision
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Slide4Central vision loss
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Slide5Peripheral Vision Loss
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Slide6Overall acuity loss
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Slide7Totally blind
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Slide8Pedestrians 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 sensitivity
Difficulty reading signs and signals
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Slide9How do pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired get around?
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Slide10Yes! people who are blind do travel independently to new placesTravel to unfamiliar destinations for shopping, errands, visiting friends, children’s activities, work, or other purposes, just like those who are fully sighted
May have to figure out intersections and intersection crossings when they arrive at them
May be unaware of changes and may make dangerous decisions when familiar intersections have been changed
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Slide11Techniques and aids used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired
Sighted (human) guide
White cane
Dog guide
Telescope or other low vision aids
No aid
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Slide12Aids and techniques for obstacle and curb detectionLong white
cane -
used as a probe of the walking
surface, identification
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Slide13Aids and techniques for obstacle and curb detectionDog guide
Guides around obstacles
Stops at curbs or drop-offs
Low vision aid, such as telescope
Used only for specific tasks, ie reading sign
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Slide14Orientation and alignment cuesSlight slopes and changes in surface texturesSpecific textures that are detectable
Sidewalk and/or grass line or building line
Traffic – both parallel to travel path and perpendicular to travel path
Accessible pedestrian signals
Other pedestrians, sun, other cues
Awareness of intersecting streets and general layout of area
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Slide15Street crossing tasksLocate edge of the street
Determine where to begin crossing (locate crosswalk)
Establish crossing direction and alignment
Determine traffic control and use pushbutton, if necessary
Decide when to begin crossing
Maintain alignment during crossing
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Slide16Traditional street crossing strategiesWalk up to corner
Maintain travel direction
Listen through a signal cycle
Cross with the surge of traffic traveling parallel to crosswalk
Maintain direction by listening to vehicles and other cues
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Slide17Designs that make travel saferAdditional care is needed make streets and sidewalks accessible to individuals who are visually impairedSidewalk design featuresStreet crossings and access to information about signals
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Slide18Sidewalks
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Slide19Would this sidewalk design be a problem for someone who’s visually impaired?Accessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
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Slide20How about this sidewalk for someone who’s blind?
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Slide21Clear straight sidewalk path with grouping of furniture
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Slide22Avoid obstacles (protruding objects) that cannot be detected by cane
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Slide23Tree maintenance needs attentionAccessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
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Slide24Barrier where crossing is closed
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Slide25Street crossingsAccessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
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Slide26Blended transitions – can’t tell where the plaza ends and the street begins
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Slide27Add detectable warnings (truncated domes) to indicate location of street
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Slide28NOT detectable warnings
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Slide29Detectable warning = truncated domes
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Slide30Crosswalk offset from corner can be problematic
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Slide31Provide guidance to crosswalk
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Slide32Crosswalk in line with sidewalkAccessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
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Slide33Alignment of curb ramp and gutter affects crossing alignment of blind pedestriansAccessible Design for the Blind, 10/29/2015, Slide
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Slide34Potential treatments – wayfinding Design of sidewalk
Tactile features or fences
Sound cues from audible signals
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Slide35Signal features intended to help pedestrians may not be usable without accessible pedestrian signals
LPI
Exclusive pedestrian phases, including at midblock crossings
Protected left turns
Pedestrian pushbuttons
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Slide36Traffic cues may not be available or usable where there are:Low volumes of traffic parallel to crosswalkCrossing major street
T intersections (crossing top of T)
Exclusive pedestrian phases
Leading pedestrian intervals
Heavy turning traffic volumes
Masking sounds
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Slide37Pedestrian PushbuttonsIs there a pushbutton?Where is it?
Have I found the pushbutton for the street I’m crossing?
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Slide38Access may be provided by Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS)
Features of new APS
Speakers at the pushbutton
Pushbutton Locator tone
Audible and Vibrotactile Walk indications
Tactile arrow
Automatic volume
adjustment
Specific location of devices
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Slide39Pushbutton-integrated APSPushbutton locator tone during FDW and DW
Rapid tick WALK indication
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Slide40Pushbutton-integrated APSPushbutton locator tone during FDW and DW
Speech WALK indication
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Slide41APS Location is criticalProvide information to the user through proximity to the departure point
Signal can be quieter due to proximity
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Slide42Installation recommendations
Beside the landing of the curb ramp
Separated by more than 10 feet from other APS on corner
Nearest the crosswalk line furthest from the center of the intersection
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Slide43Installation 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
Slide44Modifications 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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Slide45Questions??For more information, contact:
Janet M. Barlow
Accessible Design for the Blind
770-317-0611
jmbarlow@accessforblind.org