The Board has developed information on accessible public rights-of-way that is now available on its web site. This information is being made available as a source of guidance until guidelines for accessible public rights-of-way are developed. This information includes:
Accessible Rights-of-Way:
A Design Guide
The Board developed this guide in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration in order to provide
advisory information until guidelines for public rights-of-way are developed.
The 148-page guide shows how existing ADA standards for pedestrian routes on sites can be
adapted for application to sidewalks and street crossings. It provides best practices recommendations,
along with the rationale behind them, for the design, construction, alteration,
and retrofit of public pedestrian facilities.
Detectable
Warnings: Synthesis of U.S. and International Practice
Last May, the Board completed a study
on detectable warnings that surveys the state-of-the-art in the U.S. and abroad
and summarizes the installation and effectiveness of various designs. These
warnings provide tactile cues at intersections, drop-offs, and other potential
hazards to people with vision impairments. This study was conducted by
Accessible Design for the Blind under a contract with the Board. The
results are provided in this 150-page report, which was developed to provide guidance to
transportation engineers, planners, and others involved in the design of public
rights-of-way. The report includes information on the need for warning surfaces
in public rights-of-ways, a review of research, guidelines, and standards on
detectable warnings, the use of detectable warnings in the U.S. and abroad with
illustrative case studies, product manufacturers, and recommendations.
Related information on detectable warnings is also available from Accessible Design for the Blind.
Interfacing Audible
Pedestrian Signals and Traffic Signal Controllers
New technologies are available that enable audible signals to be incorporated
into standard pedestrian signal systems. These products have improvements
over older technologies, such as voice features and signals that automatically
adjust to the ambient noise level. However, there has been confusion over
their installation criteria and compatibility with existing signal controllers.
Their installation involves important considerations concerning sound adjustment
and wiring, among others. This report provides guidance on
available audible pedestrian signal products and the interface with traffic
signal controllers. It includes detailed descriptions of available
technologies and current and upcoming traffic controllers in the U.S., wiring
and power requirements, and lessons learned from existing installations.
Accessible
Pedestrian Signals [NCHRP project publication posted at
www.walkinginfo.org]
A new synthesis of accessible pedestrian signal technologies, including a
current list of manufacturers, has recently been completed as part of the
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 3-62,
Guidelines for Accessible Pedestrian Signals, which is being carried
out by the Transportation Research Board. This new publication replaces a synthesis published
by the Access Board in 1998.
Related information on accessible pedestrian signals is also available from Accessible Design for the Blind.
Pedestrian Access to
Modern Roundabouts
This technical bulletin provides guidance on access to roundabouts for
pedestrians with visual impairments. This guidance is based on research
sponsored in part by the Board at the Department of Blind Rehabilitation at
Western Michigan University. The research assessed access issues in-depth
and provided recommendations for design improvements that benefit people with
vision impairments. These recommendations address the location of crosswalks,
roadway design, use of traffic signals, provision of detectable warnings, and
other topics.