Abstract Manager

CNIB, Canada’s largest organization working with people living with sight loss, has long advocated for public spaces that are accessible to everyone. Key amongst these priorities is the need to see public transit become more accessible. Much has improved in the preceding years. The availability of audible onboard, next train/bus announcements and the proliferation of mobile applications which provide real time access to schedules are just a few examples of the enhancements which has made public transit more accessible.

But what happens when cycling and transit infrastructure collide? How can pedestrians, especially vulnerable road users like people living with sight loss, continue to use public transit if they must navigate the competing needs of cyclists? How can both groups have ready access to the built environment in a manner that respects their independence, safety and dignity? The green transformation will likely see increased uptake of cycling as a transportation choice but, without better understanding how people with sight loss experience interactions with cyclists, these certain designs may prove counterproductive.

A particular issue to be addressed is the “island platform transit stop”, a design where passengers must cross a cycling facility in order to access the transit boarding area. The treatment is relatively new, with many installations across Canada in the design phase. There are a small but growing number of communities that have already built island platform transit stops in Canada, but a lack of consistent design standards has meant that some designs have drawn concerns from people living with sight loss, who experience challenges in navigating the cycle track crossings.

In 2022, CNIB was successful in obtaining a research grant through Infrastructure Canada’s Active Transportation Fund to try and address this issue. The project, in partnership with WSP Canada, includes the following activities:

1.            Global literature review looking at best practices and key issues at island platform transit stops,

2.            Identify 5 installations across Canada looking at accessibility barriers facing people with sight loss,

3.            Execute a field study with participants with sight loss with the goal of better understanding the real or perceived barriers created by these installations,

4.            Prepare a written report summarizing the research, and

5.            Develop a series of recommendations for municipalities across Canada to improve the design of these facilities for people with sight loss.

The project will be completed by Summer 2023.