Effectiveness of Audible and Tactile Heading Cues at Complex Intersections for Pedestrians who are Blind

Abstract

This research extends the results of laboratory research on wayfinding at intersections for pedestrians who are blind. Standard accessible pedestrian signals (standard APS), a prototype beaconing APS, and a raised guide strip were evaluated for their ability to assist in establishing and maintaining a heading for street crossings. Experiments were conducted at large, complex signalized intersections in Alpharetta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and Towson, Maryland. Both the guide strip and the beaconing APS resulted in more accurate street crossing performance than standard APS with respect to alignment (i.e., initial heading) accuracy, rates of being within the crosswalk, distance from the center of the crosswalk at various points during crossing, and the likelihood of being well outside the crosswalk [6 ft (2 m) or more]. For the most part, performance with the guide strip or the beaconing APS was equivalent. Limitations and additional concerns with respect to these two treatments are discussed.