Accessibility of the Urban Environment: Design of Ramps

Abstract

The article considers the accessibility of the urban environment from the point of view of ensuring the mobility of citizens.One of the tools createdto solve this problem is a universal design.Its main purpose is to adapt the artificial environment to human needs. A “barrier-free” environment is understood to mean the conditions in which unhindered access to social infrastructure facilities and free comfortable movement in urban areas are possible.Persons with reduced mobility are people who have difficulties in movement, orientation in space, and obtaining information or services. They include people with disabilities, elderly people, people with temporary health problems, pregnant women, people with baby strollers. The means providing mobility on the example of ramps, standards for their production and the compliance of devices in use with the specified standardsare analyzed.A special attention is paid to the various types of ramps: stationary, removable, folding.The task of the ramps is to ensure the accessibility and to ease the movement of wheel mechanisms, for example, strollers and wheelchairs.Based onthe normative documents a comparative table “Parameters of ramps for persons with reduced mobility”has been compiled. The average dimensions for the ramps were derived.Several control points were selected where the parameters of the ramps installed in the transitions were measured.Based on the measurements obtained, a table of the actual parameters of the ramps measured in the Moscow metrowas compiled.Deviations in most of the ramps under study from satisfactory values which can significantly complicate the re-movement of persons with reduced mobilitywere revealed.