TransLink plans to install several braille devices at bus stops next year to help transit users who are blind or partially sighted.
Tactile and braille signage will be installed at all 8,500 bus stops, along with tactile walking surface indicators at stations and bus exchanges, TransLink said in a release Friday. The $7-million program will make it one of the first transit authorities do so in Canada or the U.S.
“We know that a lot of our customers with vision loss rely on transit to get around the region and this is another example of the work we are doing for a very important community,” said CEO Kevin Desmond.
Each stop will have a five-digit identification number, the word “stop” or “bay,” the bus route number, and a customer service phone number.
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TransLink also will look at developing technology that will send navigation data directly to cellphones or tablets.
“It is important to understand that changing an environment actually lessens the affect of the disability,” said Rob Sleath, a member of TransLink’s advisory committee on accessibility. “Today marks a special milestone for our community.”
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