Bus stops that require passengers to cross a bicycle lane to access the stop present both wayfinding and safety challenges for passengers who are blind or have low vision. A recently completed evaluation of a prototype floating bus stop in Montgomery County, MD confirmed the usefulness of features to aid wayfinding, including on-vehicle announcements, visual and tactile signage, tactile walking surface indicators, and speech messages at accessible pedestrian signals. TRB hosted a webinar on Tuesday, November 28, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM Eastern that shared further details on this project that included extensive interaction with stakeholders, including people with a range of vision disabilities, people with ambulatory disabilities, local governments and transit systems, and advocacy groups. Presenters shared guidance on how to make floating bus stops safe and accessible to passengers with vision disabilities.

This webinar was sponsored by TRB’s Standing Technical Committees on Bicycle Transportation, Accessible Transportation and Mobility, Passenger Intermodal Facilities, and Pedestrians.

The slides are available. Please contact trbwebinar@nas.edu for a link to the recording. There may be a $90 fee.

Webinar agenda and presenters

1. Strategies for working with stakeholders in gaining acceptance of designs for floating bus stops – Matt Johnson, Montgomery County Department of Transportation

2. Evaluation of strategies to aid wayfinding at floating bus stops in Montgomery County, MD – Jim Elliott, Toole Design

3. Safety challenges for passengers with vision disabilities at floating bus stops – Lui Greco, CNIB Foundation

4. Question and answer session moderated by Billie Louise Bentzen, Accessible Design for the Blind

The first 60 minutes of the webinar were for presentations and the final 30 minutes were reserved for audience questions.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this webinar, participants can:

1. Make wayfinding information accessible to vision disabled passengers at floating bus stops

2. Work effectively with stakeholder groups in the context of making floating bus stops accessible to passengers with vision disabilities

3. Recognize the challenges of making bicycle lane crossing safe for people who have vision disabilities

Professional Development Hours

This webinar was delivered as a scheduled – e-learning live event and is categorized within RCEP as Technical, Health and Safety.

Professional Development Hours (PDHs) earned on completion of this program were reported to the Registered Continuing Education Program (RCEP). Certificates of Completion are issued to all participants via the RCEP.net online system. Complaints about registered providers may be addressed to RCEP, 1015 15th Street, NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC, 20005.

American Institute of Certified Planners Certification Maintenance Credits

This webinar was approved by the American Planning Association (APA) for 1.5 Certification Maintenance (CM) Credits. CM credits provide continuing education opportunities for AICP Certified Planners to continue their professional skills and knowledge. To receive CM credits, Certified Planners should visit the TRB event webpage on American Planning Association and register their participation. If you have problems reporting your CM credits or have general questions about the CM program, please contact the APA.