GIS based Multi Criteria Decision Analysis for analyzing accessibility of the disabled in the Greater Irbid Municipality Area, Irbid, Jordan

Abstract

According to the Higher Council for the Rights of persons with disabilities (HCD) disabled people constitute 13% of the Jordanian community, 41% of them are female (Thompson, 2018 [1]; HCD Statistical Report, 2015). 11.2% of Jordan’s population aged 5 years and older had a disability, 84% of them are living in urban areas and are still facing obstacles to accessibility and inclusiveness through urban environments (Thompson, 2018). Planners and policy makers are responsible for ensuring access for people with disabilities through careful planning taking into account the allocation and accessibility of relevant services. It is therefore necessary for them to monitor the accessibility of disabled people to the primary public services needed by disabled individuals. This research methodology integrates Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques with Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) techniques to model the accessibility of disabled people to relevant services in Greater Irbid Municipality Area (GIMA). The resulting map shows the street network classified into four classes of accessibility. It concludes the current situation of accessibility of the disabled people to relevant services and indicates parts of the public urban space. These parts are more likely to be attended by the disabled and provide them better opportunity to mobile and live independently. The lack of a deliberate provision of service has a negative impact on the overall level of accessibility of services for disabled people and makes these services inaccessible to the disabled inhabitants of outlying suburbs. This research provides insight into accessibility of the disabled to relevant services that can benefit in decision support for improving accessibility and locating services and facilities. It also provides a benchmark for developing policies, regulations and a framework for future planning that despite the strong legislative base, there is alack for implementation, supervision and monitoring (Thompson, 2018). The process of accessing services provided within public urban space by the disabled encounter many obstacles and barriers that the society often plans and develops without considering the needs of the disabled. Due to inadequate planning, the disabled are marginalized and imprisoned in their houses, what negatively affects their full participation to urban and social life (HCD, 2015 [3]; Thompson, 2018).Furthermore it provides a methodology that can be used for monitoring accessibility for the disabled in such areas towards achieving sustainable urban development.