Evaluation of walkability and mobility requirements of visually impaired people in urban spaces

Abstract

The objective of this work is to evaluate the walkability of urban environments from the perspective of visually impaired people, developing a qualitative analysis based on Commented Paths Method (CPM) to derive subjective evaluations from the practical experience of specific paths. Multiple-choice questions, in applying Likert scale were used to assess physical characteristics (e.g. slope surface, sidewalk width) related to infrastructural elements of the analyzed path and their influence in the difficulty of movement, as well as interferences (e.g. need to stop, help from other people) and feelings (e.g. anxiety, tiredness) experimented along it. The elaboration of single judgments allowed the calculation of disaggregated and global Walkability Indices and the elaboration of associated thematic maps, as an innovative integration of the method, to highlight the critical aspects related to each stretch in which the path was divided.Results deriving by the implementation of a case study in the city of Enna (Italy) have revealed a greater weight to infrastructural criticalities with respect to perceived interferences, demonstrating coherence with the current situation of the analyzed area and increasing the study's validity. The research moves towards more inclusive public policies, capturing the subjective point of view of this specific target of users with visual disabilities, which is fundamental in the construction of the knowledge and crucial to improved walkability for all.