Date of Award

Spring 5-2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Abstract

Accessible pedestrian signals (APS), which provide blind individuals with auditory information about traffic signals, have been installed at very few intersections in the United States even though the original technology was available over twenty-five years ago. Many city and county governments have reportedly resisted APS installations because of their cost, addition of noise to the environment and a lack of unity within the blind community as to whether APS are a needed tool for safe, efficient travel (Bentzen & Tabor, 1998). San Francisco, usually one of the progressive municipalities on issues of access and civil rights, falls behind many cities in APS installations.

Observational research shows decreases in the time it takes blind/visually impaired travelers to assess an intersection, to begin the street crossing and the ability of the individual to cross in a straight line to the opposite curb (Bentzen & Tabor, 1998; Barlow & Franck, 2005; Noyce & Barlow, 2003). This paper investigates the reasons why APS installations have not become a standard part of controlled intersection equipment in San Francisco and other cities and explores potential recommendations for accelerating their installation

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