In March 2019, the Google homepage highlighted the 52nd anniversary of when tactile pavement was first installed in Okayama City, Japan, which literally paved the way for other cities and countries to incorporate brightly colored pavement with raised dots and lines into different environments to support independent navigation for individuals with visual impairments. While tactile pavement is a fantastic tool for helping blindness cane users like me navigate their environment, it isn’t the only example of inclusive architecture or accessible walking surfaces. Here are examples of how tactile paving and other ground-level accessibility supports enable independent navigation for individuals with visual impairments, inclusive of blind, low vision, and neurological visual impairments.
First, examples of inaccessible design
Before I get into different types of accessible design for walkways and surfaces for visual impairment, I want to share examples of inaccessible design that can hinder independent navigation for individuals with visual impairments, whether they use a cane, a guide dog, or no mobility aids at all. These can include:
- Reflective/shiny floor surfaces that create glare or have areas with super bright spots. This can make it difficult to see details of the space or be painful to look at for those with light sensitivity.
- Boards, furniture, garbage bins, electric bikes, or other large items on pedestrian walkways, which can create a tripping hazard
- Overgrown trees or branches that extend into the walkway, which can lead to someone getting hit in the face. Since a cane or guide dog cannot detect obstacles above an individual’s waist, these obstacles are more challenging to avoid
- Checkerboard or overly patterned floors that incorporate contrasting colors can be challenging to navigate due to their visual complexity. The exception to this is high-contrast tactile paving or labels for routes in indoor environments.
- Faded painted crosswalks or step nosing may be difficult to locate visually and can increase the risk for injury
Related links
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Disability Accommodations For Graduation
- Ten Things To Know About Going To College With A Blindness Cane
Tactile pavement and tactile paving
Tactile pavement (also known as tactile paving or tenji blocks) is a type of pavement that features raised lines, domes, or other textures to communicate safety information to people who are visually impaired. Inspired by braille and invented by Seiichi Miyake in the 1960s, different types of tactile paving are used to provide information about specific barriers, which can include:
- Blistering tactile with large raised dots/lines serve as a warning that a pedestrian walkway is ending and is leading into a roadway, such as when crossing the street
- Offset blister tactile with large domes serves as a stop sign to prevent someone from moving forward, such as on a subway or train platform.
- Lozenge tile also incorporates large lozenge shapes to serve as a stop sign/prevent someone from walking onto a light rail track.
- Standard directional or guidance tactile incorporates less bumpy/elevated dots or lines and serves as a guide for navigating on a specific path, providing information about the direction of travel, or similar information. This can be felt with a cane or foot.
- Corduroy tactile incorporates several lines and is used to communicate barriers or changes in paths, such as a flight of stairs, a ramp, crossing areas, or shared routes
- Cycleway tactile paving is a bright white raised surface that indicates the beginning/end of shared routes with cyclists, as well as the direction of travel.
While most tactile pavement is available in high contrast colors, the color red is generally reserved for controlled crossing areas, such as those that incorporate pedestrian signals.
Related links
- Free Braille Art and Tactile Image Libraries: World Braille Day 2024
- How I Learned To Use The City Bus System With Low Vision
- Getting a Reduced Fare SmarTrip Card With Low Vision
Curb cuts
Curb cuts (also known as a dropped kerb or kerb ramp) is a small ramp graded down from the top surface of a sidewalk to the surface of an adjoining street, parking lot, or similar area. Curb cuts may include tactile pavement to provide information on a route, and are beneficial for individuals who use mobility aids as well as those with visual impairments. This can also be helpful for individuals that have no depth perception and have trouble judging the height of a curb.
Related links
Step nosing
Also known as stair nosing, step nosing involves placing a strip of material at the edge of a stair to make the edge easier to see/feel. Adding high contrast tape or paint to the edge of stairs is one example of step nosing, as the bright color can make it easier to locate the edge of the stairs. Step nosing may also incorporate different textures that can be felt with a cane or foot to help with locating the edge of the stairs.
Since I don’t have depth perception due to double vision, I find step nosing useful for locating the edge of stairs, especially since all of the stairs tend to blend together. After I almost got injured when navigating a flight of stairs at my college, I worked with my college’s assistive technology department to incorporate step nosing onto a flight of stairs in a specific building on campus that featured bright white stairs and bright white walls surrounding it.
Related links
- Two of Everything: Living With Double Vision
- Reporting Accessibility Issues: College O&M
- What To Know About College Assistive Technology Specialists
Street lighting
While street lighting is technically above the ground, lighting plays a key role in accessible walking surfaces as it can make paths easier to see when walking in low-light conditions. Flickering street lights can have the exact opposite effect, so it is important to ensure lights are well-maintained and kept in good working order to help with navigation.
Related links
- Lighting And Low Vision
- Navigating Campus In The Dark: College O&M
- Smartphone Apps For Orientation and Mobility
Color-coded indoor routes
In large buildings such as hospitals, airports, performing arts centers, and stadiums, one navigational tool I have found especially helpful is the use of color-coded indoor routes, some of which incorporate tactile designs as well. Since my color vision is intact, I find it useful to have color as a landmark tool when I am navigating from one place to another, as it’s easier for me to recognize a color than it is to recognize text.
Related links
Rugs/carpet
In areas with a lot of bright lighting, strategically placed rugs/carpet can be helpful for absorbing overhead light and glare on reflective floor surfaces. However, an important caveat is that the rugs/carpet will need to have secured edges to keep someone from tripping over the edge or having it slide around.
Related links
Additional information on tactile paving and accessible walkways
- For ramps or stairs, it is helpful to have railings installed on both sides of a walkway to help with balance. Having the railing in a contrasting color can also help to make it easier to locate.
- When I use my cane alongside tactile paving, it feels like a speed bump that indicates that I need to pay attention, or as a smooth path that I can continue to follow. Learn more about cane tips in Decoding The Tips of Blindness Canes
- Want to learn more about navigating with low vision? Browse Orientation and Mobility Archives | Veronica With Four Eyes
Published March 18, 2019. Updated October 2024