Design for all in Espoo

in espoo design for all

by Samuel Tuovinen | samuel.tuovinen@espoo.fi

Transportation design for all in the city planning phase begins with defining areas and routes of high and basic importance.

Public transportation terminals, city centres, retirement homes and health centres are automatically considered high accessibility areas.

Special requirements

They entail a maximum gradient of 5% and physical separation between pedestrians and cyclists. Most commonly, a 20 cm wide embedded stone strip separates asphalt pedestrian and bike ways. The demarcation strip provides bottom-of-shoe-feel and white-cane-feel as well as a visual contrast. For the basic level, an 8% gradient is sufficient for a street. The side gradient may occasionally affect city planning being 2% and 3% for high and basic importance areas correspondingly. Pedestrian paths should have benches placed alongside to provide opportunity for rest.

How does it work?

In the city of Espoo, the Built for All Working Group reviews the most important construction projects for accessibility. The group consists of disabled persons, interest groups and selected city officials. Recently, the group has commented on off-street and on-street drop-off and pick-up locations.

If overlooked, drop-off and pick-up locations are put inside parking facilities where the maximum vehicle height may not suffice for special needs taxis. In addition, as an industry standard, every 30 th residential parking space, and every 50 th parking space for other land use is allocated for the disabled.

In addition, home care workers for the elderly have been demanding that parking spaces allocated specifically for them should be provided by the city, whilst the housing cooperatives manage on-site parking.

A crosswalk in Espoo on Piispansilta street catering for the visually impaired with a 4 cm curbstone as well as with an embedded curb for walking-aids or baby carriages and eventually for bikes.