# Presentation: 919217

## The Big Picture

-    **How relevant are pedestrian access issues to everyday life? **

**Almost every trip taken has a pedestrian component.**

**Notes:**
I am going to discuss in this presentation:
The aging population trends 

The reasons these changes are  or need to be a concern for communities

 3. The relationship between pedestrian transportation and disability rights laws

4. The roles we all play in providing a safe and usable system for all users 
5. I will not discuss roundabouts specifically but it applies to all facilities used by pedestrians, and that includes roundabouts

## Are pedestrian environments usable for everyone?  

- Typically designed for people who are fit, young and able bodied
- Not everyone has access to the same opportunities to use the pedestrian system

**Notes:**
Typically pedestrian environments have been designed for people who are fit, young and able bodied

There are significant numbers of people with disabilities, children, and older people who do not have access to the same opportunities to use the pedestrian system because their needs were not considered.

Only in recent history has there been a collective thought on developing accessible architecture, transportation, and pedestrian environments so that people with mobility, hearing, vision and cognitive disabilities have the same opportunity to use them.

So, why is access such a relatively new concept?  One answer is that people are generally living longer than ever before in time.

## The demographics of people with disabilities have changed 

- Young people with disabilities and illnesses  live longer and healthier lives

**Notes:**

 The demographics of people with disabilities has changed

2.  Young people with disabilities and illness live longer and healthier lives

3.  A child born today has a chance of living to the age of 100

4.  Before the advent of modern medical practices, the availability of widely available medical services, health insurance and information about the benefits of better nutrition and exercise, only 1 in 10 people lived  past the the age of 65.

5.  Now 80% of the population lives past the age of 65

## Demographics

- 20% of the US Population has a disability
- 	(US Census,2000)
-    5.2 million are between the ages of 1 and 20
-    30.6 million are between the ages of 21 to 64
-    14 million are over the age of 65 (42% of this age group)

**Notes:**
1. 20% of the US Population has a disability (US Census, 2000)

2. 49.7 million people in the US Population over the age of 5 has a disability (National 	Council on Disability has figures of 54 million)
5.2 million are between the ages of 1 and 20
30.6 million are between the ages of 21 to 64
14 million are over the age of 65 ( this is 42% of people over the age of 65)

## The number of people with disabilities is expected to increase

- The number of people with severe vision loss is expected to increase from the current  4. 3 million to 20 million by the year 2010
- The number of people with visual disabilities is 3 times of those who use wheelchairs

**Notes:**
1. The number of people with disabilities is expected to increase because the population 	is aging
Currently :
1. There are 3 times the number of people with visual disabilities as there are people 	who use wheelchairs

2. The number of people with severe vision loss is expected to increase from the current 	4. 3 million to 20 million by the year 2010 

3. People with sensory loss have either been left out or ignored when planning and 	designing pedestrian facilities

4. The opposite of love  - not Hate, but INDIFFERENCE

## The number of people with disabilities is expected to increase

-  50% of the US population will be over the age of 55 in year 2030

**Notes:**
The number of people with disabilities is expected to increase

From 1960 to 1985 the US population of people 65 yrs and older increased by 71%.

50% of the US population will be over the age of 55 in year 2030

As people age the possibility of developing multiple disabilities increases
	A person could have severe vision and hearing loss, 
	mobility and vision loss, 		
	cognitive and mobility disabilities. 
      or diseases which bring on or exacerbate such conditions

  In 1990, only 4,000 people in the US were over 100 years old
  In 2,000, over 50,000 people were over 100.
  By 2020, over 1 million people will be over 100 years old in the US, including at least several of us in this room. The implications of these numbers ought to be shocking to each of us.
   The flip side of the equation is that the generation under the age of 20 today is the first in the history of the world to be able to think, be and do anything to which they set their minds, and taking care of the old and infirm is probably not going to be high on their lists of things to do.

## Accessible environments = 	Independent lives

- At some point in their lives 70 % of the US population will have a temporary or permanent disability that will limit their ability to climb stairs

**Notes:**
It is axiomatic that 70% of the US population will at some point in their lives have a temporary or permanent disability that will limit there ability to climb stairs (National Council on Disability).

The corollary  to that axiom is that the lack of accessible environments can make leading an independent life difficult if not impossible for many people.

What happens if the people in the photo cannot do their errands, shop for themselves, visit with friends, or have contact with others in their community? The lack of access can have extraordinary, real, and time critical cumulative effects on affected individuals and the community. 

## Access is a community concern 

-  Almost every trip taken has a pedestrian component
- Access is an economic and  social concern

**Notes:**
Access is a community concern.

2.  Almost every trip taken has a pedestrian component 

3.  Access is both an economic and a social concern

4.  If segments of people in the community do not have pedestrian access to basic services or are not able to lead a social life there are consequences not only to those directly impacted, but to their families and the community itself.  Som eof te impacts are easily definable, others are unimaginable.

## Access is a community concern

- Segments of the population lose their independence when streets are not designed for all users.

**Notes:**
 If facilities are not accessible, family members and friends may need to invest time to provide transportation or make trips for those who don’t have access, or rely on government transportation services, which will soon become stretched beyond their capacity.  This can become a stressful situation for family, friends and those with disabilities. Many of us can look forward to this type of dependency in the very near term.

2. When people are not able to lead independent lives, they often have to move from the community into assisted living facilities or “retirement “ communities or facilities.

## Solving the problems

-  Raising the level of awareness
- We have not kept up with the needs of our changing populations

**Notes:**
Lack of awareness:
	These problems may not be on the radar screen of many designers and planners. 	Unless a person has experienced a disabling condition or a family member has a disability, they may not see access as a pressing issue to solve.  

2. We have not kept up with the needs of our changing populations. What we build today goes untouched for decades.  It is imperative that we start addressing these pressing needs now.
3.  We are behind the curve on dealinfg with already identified needs and those needs are growing an exponential rates. That the curve we will have to climb will aapproximate Mount Everest should be obvious, if we do not provide practitioners with frameworks to allow them to meet their current obligations to make facilities open to the public accessible.

## 	Civil Rights Laws are wake-up calls to inequities

- The Rehabilitation Act (1973) and _ADA_ (1990), prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities

**Notes:**

The Rehabilitation Act (1973) and ADA (1990), prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities, people who are perceived as having disabilities and people who associate with people who have disabilities.

2. If we were doing the right thing in the first place this country would not need  prescriptive laws to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are protected. 

3. It’s a lot easier to stay out of trouble than to get out of trouble.

4. What are Civil Rights?

Privileges and immunities guaranteed by the Constitution, laws enacted by Congress, certain Executive Orders and  Court decisions, and treaties.

 The problem is that those whose Civil Rights have been violated are easily identified. They are-typically- minorities, women, and people with obvious disabilities.

## Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 (1973)

- 	Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits federal funding on any project that discriminates against people with disabilities

**Notes:**
The Federal Highway Administration and all other Federal funding agencies are prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 from funding facilities, programs, or services that discriminate against people with disabilities. 
 Our regulations prohibit the use of federal-aid funds on any project not built in accordance with all applicable Federal statutes and regulations 

3.  No Federal  employee has the authority to waive or reduce the applicability of Federal statutes or regulations.  

## The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)

- US DOT oversight
- Equal access to services, facilities, and programs for people w/disabilities

**Notes:**
In 1990, Congress past a landmark civil rights bill, the Americans with Disabilities Act- It is civil/human rights protection from discrimination in all aspects of life

The ADA extends the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and requires FHWA oversight for State and local government pedestrian facilities regardless of whether Federal-aid is provided for funding of such projects.

The ADA requires that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as people without disabilities. This includes access to transportation, employment, communication systems, housing, education, recreation facilities, government services and programs, and businesses open to the public.

4. The ADA intends for people with disabilities to have access to mainstream society.  Without adequate pedestrian facilities, many people with disabilities cannot leave their homes.  People with visual disabilities cannot drive and for many people with mobility disabilities the cost of owning a car is probative. Well designed pedestrian facilities can provide the independence to conduct everyday activities for many people with disabilities. 

5. US DOT is an ADA designated agency. Designated agencies are Federal agencies designated to oversee ADA compliance for particular components of State and local governments. FHWA has oversight on roadway crosswalks and other pedestrian facilities.

## Confusion over design minimums and best practice

- _ADA Design Minimums_ are the building blocks for applying better design  practices
- What if car lanes were built to the minimum width of cars?

**Notes:**
Minimums:
Engineers and designers rely on manuals and guidance that generally promote best practices. 

ADA design standards are not best practice. This causes confusion for many in the transportation industry who think the ADA standards are best practice, and so they apply the minimums thinking they are adequate rather than applying better design. 

Also, the existing design standards were developed for constructing architectural facilities and not pedestrian facilities along the roadway environment. So engineering judgment on safety issues needs to be applied when using the ADA designs in the sidewalk and street crossing environment.  

Photos: 
We don’t build too many roads that are the minimum width of cars, and the same philosophy should be applied to sidewalks. 

## Accessible information vs. Information barriers

- How would blind pedestrians  know they had to push the button to get a walk signal?

- The truncated dome pattern on the detectable warning
- provides information that the sidewalk in ending.

**Notes:**
Accessible information vs. Information barriers

Truncated domes provide detectable warnings  -  information that the sidewalk in ending. Many people who are blind unintentionally enter the street when they don’t have this information.  The truncated dome pattern is detectable underfoot and when using a sweeping cane motion. 

In the photo on the right: How would  blind pedestrians know they had to push the button to get a walk phase? 

It would be necessary to provide a locator tone at the button to let the user know there is a button to push. 

## Engineering practice      playing catch-up with Civil Rights requirements and new technologies

- 	Removing _communication_ barriers is as necessary as removing physical barriers

**Notes:**
The roadway environment has many communications barriers

People with sensory disabilities are often forgotten when deciding how to make facilities accessible. Title II of the ADA requires that pedestrian environments be accessible for people who have vision loss and/or hearing loss, or limited cognitive ability. 

Removing communication barriers is as necessary as removing physical barriers. Information that is given only in visual formats on pedestrian signs and signals is not usable to those who cannot see. More often than not, not enough is being done to provide information needed to safely cross streets in alternative formats for people with visual disabilities.

Information for crossing the street safely is as important as providing curb ramps for people who use wheelchairs. It can  even be more critical to safety.  But until recently, little attention was given to the ADA title II requirement that facilities  be accessible to people with visual disabilities.

## Accessibility = Safety 

- If it is not accessible it is _not_:
- 	Safe
- 	Usable

**Notes:**
Every pedestrian faces a variety of dangers in the sidewalk and street crossing environment.

People with disabilities are not usually taking a safety risk when entering buildings but the pedestrian systems have many accessibility gaps,  in addition to the dangers of interacting with traffic. 

For example: 
 People with visual disabilities are not provided with equal information as sighted people are with signs and signals.  Crossing the street can have greater safety implications without this knowledge. This is especially true for roundabouts.

Older pedestrians and people with mobility disabilities typically need more time to cross before the lights changes. People who are blind may not start crossing right when the walk phase begins, and they also may not get to the other side of the road before the light changes. 

 Children and people with cognitive disabilities have limited abilities in judging traffic conditions. They have limited peripheral vision, and difficulty in judging distance and the speeds of oncoming cars. 

People with hearing disabilities need good sightlines to see oncoming  traffic because they may not hear the traffic.  New cars are so quiet, that  against backgound noise, they are virtually indetectable.

If curb ramps are not designed properly, they pose the risk of persons using wheelchairs tipping over or being propelled into traffic.

## Both the devil and the Angels are in the details!

- Complaints, lawsuits, and construction costs can be minimized with attention to details

**Notes:**

 Doing the right thing in the first place costs a fraction of what it costs to go back and fix an in-place facility. It doesn’t pay to ignore the ADA requirements, and these types of lawsuits are preventable and they waste public funds—everyone ends up paying the price one way or another. 

It is also a lesson on providing a balance to the transportation system, and providing attention to details in constructing universally designed pedestrian facilities, accessible to and usable by everyone.  

Recently, New York City lost a $320 million suit filed by the Eastern Service-Connected Disabled Veterans. The case involved inaccessible sidewalks throughout the City and the fact that NYC had made significant repairs to adjacent roadways, but had left many sidewalks and curbs in inaccessible conditions.  It would have cost a fraction of the $120 million if the City had done the right thing in the first place. 

## Applying best practices for the comfort and safety of all users  

- The access, safety and comfort of pedestrians is as important as meeting the needs of motorists

**Notes:**
Applying best practices for the safety and comfort of pedestrians is as important as meeting the needs of motorists

## Gaps to Fill

_*Awareness*_ of the issues
_*Knowledge*_ of design standards and requirements
_*Tools*_ for professionals

- Designers need to consult and
- understand the needs of users

**Notes:**
Existing gaps to providing access:
Awareness of the issues
Knowledge of design and requirements
Tools for professionals

Awareness
There is a lack of awareness and understanding of users’ needs or how design affects a variety of people using the system.  

University engineering and planning curricula have not included training on designing for people with disabilities or pedestrians in general. Curriculum development  appears to be one “low-hanging fruit” that could be quickly and easily harvested.

Highway engineers have primarily been trained to design roads and to move cars and trucks safely and efficiently.  These issues often compete against pedestrian access and safety. Not all pedestrians are alike or have the same abilities and this needs to be understood especially when altering a limited space and when funding is limited. Attention to details and getting the most value for the buck is critical. 

Knowledge:
There is limited knowledge, understanding, or appreciation of ADA standards and requirements on the part of transportation professionals. Similarly, those responsible may be unaware of the obligation to make new construction and alterations accessible to people with disabilities.

Tools:
Highway design manuals and guides do not address how-to information on designing for people with disabilities. This is a critical issue since engineers and other responsible personnel on the staffs of recipients and sub-recipients lack formal training on these design principles. 

## “Whether you believe you can...

** ****or believe you cannot...,**
**you are right!”      ****-- H. Ford**