Web Links

The Access Board: The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities.
ADA Accessibility Requirements: ADA Fact Sheet from the Access Board
AER Online: The latest information on the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Beneficial Designs: Beneficial Designs develops assistive and adaptive technology, performs rehabilitation research, contract design, legal consultation, standards development, and serves as a rehabilitation information resource.
The Center for Universal Design: A national research, information, and technical assistance center that evaluates, develops, and promotes universal design in housing, public and commercial facilities, and related products.
ITE Electronic Toolbox: Documents for Making Intersections More Accessible for Pedestrians Who are Blind or Visually Impaired
Manual on uniform Traffic Control Devices: Standards for the application and installation of traffic signals, signs and pavement markings that regulate, warn, and guide the vehicle and pedestrian users of the public right of way.
Planning and Funding Accessible Pedestrian Facilities: ITE's page of potential funding sources for making an intersection accessible.

Publications on the Web

Accessible Rights-of-Way: A Design Guide: This design guide has been developed to provide uniform guidance to State and local governments on how to design and construct accessible public pedestrian facilities until such time as the Access Board, DOJ, and DOT issue final requirements.
Accessible Pedestrian Signals: The report, produced on behalf of the U.S. Access Board, provides an information on requirements at intersections; accessible traffic signal technologies; characteristics of accessible pedestrian signals; determining when to install accessible pedestrian signals; specifying accessible pedestrian signals; installing accessible pedestrian signals; pedestrian detection technology; APS functional characteristics; and APS product sources.
Addressing Barriers to Blind Pedestrians at Signalized Intersections: An ITE Journal article presents the results of a survey of Orientation and Mobility Specialists regarding the problems students with visual impairments experience at signalized intersections.
American Council of the Blind Survey of Signalized Intersection Accessibility: The American Council of the Blind (ACB) surveyed 158 pedestrians who are legally blind regarding their experiences in independently crossing at intersections with and without audible signals.
Building a True Community: This report is a recommendation for a new set of Federal guidelines (to be implemented as standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act) that define the details necessary to make the streetscapes in public rights-of-way accessible to all users.
Detectable Warnings: Synthesis of U.S. and International Practices: This synthesis summarizes the state-of-the-art regarding the design, installation and effectiveness of detectable warning surfaces used in the U.S. and abroad.
Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access Part I of II: Review of Existing Guidelines and Practices: This project is an extensive literature review in which existing guidelines and recommendations for developing sidewalks and trails were compiled and analyzed.
Determining Recommended Language for Speech Messages used by Accessible Pedestrian Signals: The objective of the research in this report was to develop recommendations for the structure and content of walk messages and pushbutton messages for directly audible APSs.
FHWA Memo on ADAAG Detectable Warnings (Truncated Domes): The FHWA memo addresses a number of questions raised by people from various agencies concerning the use of detectable warnings, specifically truncated domes, when constructing or altering curb ramps.
Interfacing Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) with Traffic Signal Control Equipment: The primary objective of this research was to provide detailed accessible pedestrian signal (APS) product information specifically focused on the interfacing of APS devices and traffic signal controllers. Information on the various traffic signal controllers used today is also provided. The information is intended for traffic engineers, traffic signal technicians, and others who are implementing APS technologies.
Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (Draft): Under the ADA, the Access Board has developed and continues to maintain design guidelines for accessible buildings and facilities known as the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). ADAAG covers a wide variety of facilities and establishes minimum requirements for new construction and alterations.
Public Rights-of-Way: Issues Identified Among Comments on Rights-of-Way Guidelines: By the close of the comment period in late October, the Board had received over 1,400 comments from persons with disabilities, disability groups, leading industry associations, civil engineers, transportation specialists, public works departments, and others.
PowerPoint Presentations:: Accessible Pedestrian Signal Features - New Possibilities for Access in the US; Detectable Warnings