collaboration, cooperation, and participation: lessons on

Collaboration, Cooperation, and Participation:

Lessons on Transit Accessibility

from BaltimoreLink

Maryland Department of Transportation

Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA)

Jaime McKay, Transportation Planner

Learning Objectives

• Discuss ways to ensure an inclusive and participatory planning process.

• Review current efforts at MDOT MTA to further accessibility.

• Describe ongoing efforts to advance accessibility in transit information and resources.

• Identify best practices and lessons learned throughout process.

What is Inclusive Planning?

• A process in which participants (people with disabilities

and older adults), partner organizations, coordinated

transportation partners and other stakeholders are

actively and meaningfully involved in transportation

planning.

Recent projects geared towards

accessibility

• Turn by turn accessible schedules

• Tactile Braille flipbooks

• Inclusive Transportation Planning Grant

• Bus Stop Accessibility evaluation

Turn by turn accessible

schedules

• During the initial planning phases of BaltimoreLink, MDOT

MTA worked alongside the National Federation of the

Blind (NFB) Maryland and Center for Mobility Equity to

produce descriptive, screen reader accessible turn-by-

turn documents outlining the numerous routes that would

be changed.

• The team created an inclusive and participatory process

for individuals with visual impairments and older adults.


schedules

• Because of the way traditional transit maps are designed:

– People with visual impairments do not always have access to

the same information as their sighted counterparts.

– As a result, people with visual impairments may not know the

extent of proposed service changes, or their participation in the

transit planning process may be limited.

– For older adults, transit maps may not provide the level of detail

that would make a rider feel confident and comfortable.


schedulesHow were these created?

• Turn-by-turn information, including distance and routing, are exported from either a GIS or a GTFS

• Raw exports are specifically formatted to be screen reader compatible, including headings, text tags, and tables

• Documents are manually tested with screen reader device for accuracy and clarity of user experience

• Word documents are published on mta.maryland.gov and are updated whenever service changes


schedules• These descriptive maps enable individuals to understand the many

nuances of public transportation.

• This accessibility project takes the user through a textual turn-by-turn description of where the route begins, the direction of travel throughout the route, significant stops and transfer points, and where the route ends.

• This provides more context to the route and stops, can be pulled up on a smartphone or printed out in large print, and can empower a rider to be more aware of their surroundings as they travel independently.


schedules

• These accessible route sheets have been published since

the planning phases of BaltimoreLink, and with each

successive service change, these sheets have been

updated to reflect changes and customer needs.

• While our accessible route sheets serve an important role,

they are only available to passengers with internet access

or smartphones.

Tactile braille flipbooks

• Did you know? Baltimore is home to Maryland School for

the Blind, Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, and

National Federation of the Blind.

Tactile braille flipbooks

A pilot program that incorporates the production of tactile Braille flip books that:

• outline the major points of interest and transfers for the CityLink routes,

• an outreach component specific to targeted constituent groups, and

• a data collection and analysis period to determine if additional tactile or Braille materials will better support the needs of our riders.

Inclusive Transportation Planning

• The project's goal is to support communities nationwide in

adopting proven, sustainable, scalable, and replicable

models that include participation of people with disabilities

and older adults in the design and implementation of

coordinated transportation systems that are responsive to

their needs.

• Whew!


• MDOT MTA, MDOD, MDoA applied jointly

– We want to work more collaboratively on transportation needs

– We want to build relationships between the agencies and those

we serve

– We want to engage with people where they are


• Form a Steering Committee made up of people with

disabilities and their caregivers and older adults

• Identify opportunities to engage in the planning process

• Coordinate and collaborate on upcoming efforts


• Grant period runs from July – December

• At least one meeting per month

– Nontraditional outreach opportunities

• Reporting and documentation

– What are we learning?

– Best practices?

– Challenges?

Bus Stop Accessibility Evaluation

• Examine the accessibility of the built environment at or

adjacent to existing bus stops.


• Ongoing process

– Lots of bus stops!

• Assessment – prioritizing projects – finding funding


• Prioritization for capital improvements will be based on:

– bus stop utilization

– wheelchair ramp deployment data

– MobilityLink / paratransit origins and destinations

– cost of stop improvements.

• Ensuring equitable and data-driven decision making.


• Current practice for bus stop improvements (construction)

is 9-15 months.

• Working with local jurisdictions in developing typical

designs to expedite the permitting and construction

process.

Lessons Learned

• Patience – things (often) take (more) time than you’ve

budgeted

Lessons Learned

• Don’t assume you know

Lessons Learned

• It takes time to reach the right groups – we often don’t

know who we don’t know

Lessons Learned

• Engagement – reaching people who are not typically

reached

– Use existing networks. People with disabilities and older adults

know one another and can help bridge the gap!

Lessons Learned

• Being prepared to disagree (respectfully)

Inclusive Meetings and

Workshops

• Participant-led location and time selection

• Interactive components

• Complex ideas in simple words

Chief of Engagement

• Studies, capital projects and long range planning focus.

• Ongoing engagement and communication with riders

• Collaboration and coordination within the agency,

specifically inreach opportunities

– Training and educational opportunities for front line staff

Inclusive planning

produces better results.

Inclusive planning

• Places the user at the center of the planning process

• Allows for a more complete understanding of the user

experience

• Takes into account the needs of the user, and empowers

the user to make decisions

Continuing the conversation

• Commit to inclusive transportation in your agency

• Identify staff who want to participate

• Source from within to help

Questions?

Thank you!

Jaime McKay

MDOT MTA

(410) 767-3754

[email protected]