The Impact of Design Elements on the Street Crossing Experience for Individuals with Disabilities at a Complete Street Intersection

Street intersections in busy urban environments may contain several key infrastructure elements specifically designed to facilitate the efficient flow of movement. A complete streets (CS) design approach attempts to balance the needs of all users, while supporting the simultaneous movement of multiple modes of transportation. Although the benefits of CS have been well documented, people with disabilities often experience difficulty with the use of this approach as a whole and when interacting with individual design elements. The objective of this study was to assess how CS design features affect the street crossing experience for people with various types of disabilities. A total of 24 participants completed the study at one of two CS intersections in downtown Toronto, Canada. A go-along interview method was employed, with probing questions used to understand the full experience of the street crossing and interaction with design elements. Qualitative, thematic analysis of the data revealed four major themes related to experiences with the design infrastructure, consistent across all participants: (1) reliance on maintenance, (2) importance of design consistency, (3) opportunities and challenges of transportation modes, and (4) influence of inclement weather. Across all themes, a greater number of individuals reported more negative experiences than positive ones. Results support the need for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the design of future major intersections to ensure streets are safe for all using them.