Abstract
Taiwan is poised to transition into a super-aged society by 2025, there has been a heightened emphasis on improving the accessibility of sidewalks. This study undertakes an analysis of sidewalk design manuals and guidelines for the implementation of blind navigation facilities at intersections. Research Findings are as follows: 1. Examination of the Design Standards of Urban Roads and Accessory Works, Urban Human-Centered Traffic Road Planning and Design Manual, and Guidelines for the Design of Blind Guidance Facilities on Urban Road Sidewalks, underscores a concerted emphasis on pedestrian safety. Mandates encompass the provision of accessible pathways, curb ramps, and accessible sidewalks, alongside critical considerations for the design and deployment of blind guidance facilities. Embracing universal design principles, these standards aim to obviate discrepancies among user demographics while furnishing comprehensive informational resources, thereby facilitating enhanced comprehension and navigability for elderly and disabled individuals. 2. A detailed scrutiny of a case study reveals a spectrum of strategic interventions geared towards augmenting urban road accessibility. Measures encompass the curtailment of curbside parking for automobiles and motorcycles, the preservation of contiguous green spaces, segregation of pedestrian and bicycle zones, aesthetic enhancements of street landscapes. 3. Insights gleaned from stakeholder interviews unveil a gamut of challenges, encompassing the encroachment of obstacles on sidewalks despite the stipulated net width of 1.5 meters, the inadvertent creation of hazards at the interface between building driveway entrances and sidewalks due to sloping configurations, and a pervasive dearth of awareness pertaining to accessibility enhancement amongst sidewalk designers and construction personnel.
Presenters
Chih Yuan ChangAssociated Research Fellow, Planning Division, Architecture and Building Research Institute, Ministry of the Interior, Taiwan
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Accessibility,Sidewalk Design, Urban Human-Centered Traffic Road Planning, Public Policy
