A new study sponsored by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and the Royal College for Art (RCA) in the U.K. investigates how blind and partially-sighted people navigate the public realm in order to gain a better understanding of their needs and to embed this understanding into emerging street design practice. The study surveyed a range of urban designers, engineers, architects, and people with low vision in order to gain information and insights. The study attempts to look at how real people experience real street environments, and thereby seeks to move the debate away from abstract ideas and towards practical interventions informed by user experience.

It should be noted that the designs and guidance offered in this study may not be consistent with U.S. best practice and proposed guidance, which can found on the U.S. Access Board’s Public Rights-of-Way Advisory Committee (PROWAC) website.