I think about non-visual design, which comes from my experience, but also from a general critique of architecture. It’s so much about how things look. I’m interested in how a building is experienced when you touch it with your hand, when you grab a railing or lean into an atrium.Chris Downey, architect, planner, and consultant
This section presents universal access features of BRT stations and terminals.
It is important to train BRT staff to be respectful and courteous to patrons with disabilities. While many will need no assistance, some will need help with fare payment, route information, navigation (e.g., to elevators and wide fare gates), and passage through turnstiles. The presence of uniformed staff and security personnel makes BRT more appealing to persons with disabilities. This is especially true at night, when such customers may be hesitant to travel.
Prepaid proximity cards (contactless cards) require less hand dexterity and benefit persons with limited mobility. The option of purchasing multiple trips may also reduce stress for persons with disabilities. However, disability correlates with poverty, and the problem of poor persons who cannot afford to prepay for multiple trips needs to be recognized.
A low counter, to serve wheelchair users and short persons, should ideally be included at neighborhood fare card vending locations and should be a feature of formal BRT facilities. An accessible counter or ticket vending window should be:
Electronic ticket vending machines should have buttons and slots for cash and for dispensing fare cards, located not more than 1,200 millimeters above the ground. Assistance should be provided as needed to blind customers, deaf customers, and others who may have difficulty with card-purchase procedures.
Consideration should be given to hiring disabled persons to work at fare vending sites where appropriate space needs are met.
There should be one or more wide fare gates in each station (clear width of at least 900 millimeters) for customers using wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches.
A uniform design throughout the system assists all customers with navigation, especially those with sensory and cognitive disabilities.
Longer stations—especially those over 50 meters—should have entrances at each end when possible to assist those who are unable to walk long distances, as well as all other customers. An exit should be considered at the “far end” of such stations, even if an entrance is not possible. Exit doors require a minimum of 900 millimeters of clear space. Manually operated doors should open easily, requiring no more than 15 newtons of operating force.
Provide seating (benches, folding seats) in stations, especially where wait times exceed five minutes. Back and hip supports (horizontal “perches” or “leaning rails”), about 700 millimeters high, assist customers with hidden disabilities such as arthritis. Seats and supports should be painted a high contrast color.
Locate seats and supports where people are most likely to wait for the BRT vehicle (not in an out-of-the-way location). Overcrowded stations present challenges to customers with special needs; locating seating near the vehicle door addresses this. Coordinate seat location with doors reserved for those with disabilities.
Since the smallest platform-to-vehicle gap is usually found at the front entrance of the vehicle, this entrance is typically designated for use by disabled persons, who also benefit from being closer to the driver. Transparent sliding doors, activated when vehicles dock opposite the doors, enhance safety at platform edges, especially for customers who have reduced vision. Transparent doors also facilitate visibility—that is, to see route signs on approaching vehicles. Doors should have audible signals to assist all customers, and especially blind persons, to know when they are opening and closing. A tactile warning strip is required if sliding doors are not provided and platform edges are not protected.
Ramps are preferred at regular stations because they require little maintenance and have few security risks. At terminals, bridges, and other locations where customers must ascend multiple levels, elevators may augment ramps. They also assist customers with reduced mobility and people carrying children or heavy packages. Nevertheless, elevators should never be the primary mode due to maintenance issues. Escalators are not recommended, as they have a poor maintenance history.
Adequate lighting is essential for those with reduced vision. It also provides more safety and security for all customers.
Signs and the text on them need to be of a minimum size (Table 30.1). Many countries use icons and specific colors to supplement text for route and station names, thus assisting persons with cognitive impairments, visitors, tourists, and others who may not be able to read text. Variable signage indicating the arrival time of the next vehicle helps those with hearing impairments.
Application | Minimum letter height |
---|---|
Long-distance reading (e.g., signs on station entrances); Signs in corridors and stations; Information on vehicle-stop flags and shelters; Close reading, e.g., wall-mounted timetables; Minimum for any text displayed; | 150 mm; 50–100 mm; 50 mm; 25 mm; 22 mm; |
Color contrast is useful for signage (see chart below) and for station features such as railings, turnstiles, wide fare gates, tactile warnings at vehicle-entry gates, folding seats, and ischiatic supports. A number of countries use “safety yellow” as the color of choice for such uses. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 3864 specifies “safety yellow.” The standard in the United States is “Yellow-Federal Standard #33538.”
Background | Sign board color | Letter or symbol color |
---|---|---|
Red brick or dark stone | White | Black, dark green, or dark blue |
Light brick or light stone or white walls | Black or dark blue or dark green | White or yellow |
Green vegetation | White | Black, dark green, or dark blue |
Backlit sign | Black | White or yellow |
Audible signage assists customers with reduced vision, particularly at the opening and closing of sliding doors. Depending on the system, announcements can be activated by GPS technology, or simply provided by station staff.
Some blind persons may benefit from raised tactile route numbers at stations. Letters are generally 20 millimeters high and raised 1 to 2 millimeters. Others may prefer Braille signage. Consult with focus groups and advisory committees to decide.
Adhesive Tactile Wayfinding is a new development in signage made possible by three-dimensional printing technology. The development of this signage was applied to the MyCiti Integrated Rapid Public Transport (IRT) in Cape Town, South Africa.
MyCiti IRT signage and designs are supposed to encompass identification, confirmation, and directional information that are inclusive of all IRT users. The MyCiti IRT system utilized international best practices and standards to construct an exemplary IRT system with wayfinding and fair accessibility standards.
Illiteracy and site impairment can hinder an individual’s ability to recognize and utilize signage. While Braille is internationally recognized, it is not widely used in South Africa. Therefore, tactile pictograms, or raised images, include a wider group of users. These three-dimensional signs featuring universally understandable figures can be attached to poles surrounding IRT stations using the adhesive backs.
The wayfinding directional signs consist of the name of the MyCITI station, the distance to that specific station, and an arrow pointing in the direction of the station. The signs are made more recognizable by the MyCITI red branding on them. In some sections of Cape Town, tactile wayfinding systems have been introduced, as seen in Figures 30.38 and 30.39.
Because tactile wayfinding is relatively new, the design team in Cape Town is constantly looking for feedback to improve its services. The team hopes that the design can be applied to civic amenities and other places of public interest in the future.
Terminals and transfer centers can be confusing for many customers and especially those new to the system. Customers must understand different public transport modes and different schedules. Customers also need direction to a range of public services and commerce.