Universal Accessibility Around Construction Sites: A Vital Challenge to Address

Universal accessibility (UA) is a key concept in urban planning, aiming to ensure that all citizens, regardless of their abilities, can move through and use public spaces without barriers. While increasingly considered in construction projects, its implementation, though essential, comes with certain challenges. To overcome them, specific criteria must be met according to established guidelines.

Requirements and Standards

To ensure universal accessibility around construction sites, several basic requirements must be followed. (In the City of Montréal, for example, contractors must comply with the "Standardized Technical Document" concerning mobility management for all municipal contracts.) Among other things, it is crucial to maintain universally accessible pedestrian links, minimize the distance of pedestrian crossings, and ensure existing access points are preserved or that equivalent temporary access is provided for the duration of the work. These requirements must be considered at the planning stage to guarantee accessibility from the very beginning of the construction project.

Before construction

When planning work and designing traffic management measures, anticipating accessibility challenges is key. Specific situations can be foreseen by analyzing the planned construction activities and conducting a field survey to assess the impact on the surrounding area. This foresight helps reduce disruptions and maintain continuous accessibility.

For example, in the Pie-IX BRT project, the design team anticipated the presence of individuals with physical, motor, or intellectual disabilities near the work zone. In collaboration with the client, it was agreed that the contractor would provide a pedestrian escort to assist individuals in navigating the site safely, based on the needs and progress of the work. Requirements related to the escort service were included in the contractual documents.

Some challenges only arise during construction and cannot be anticipated in the planning phase. In such cases, site supervisors must ensure that universal access is maintained and that appropriate measures are taken in a timely manner. The construction team is kept informed of these issues through on-site observations, requests or complaints, or via the liaison officer responsible for community relations on the project.

During construction

Although technical documents outline specific requirements for universally accessible pedestrian routes, practical testing can be an effective way to apply these standards. For instance, at Intervia, we used a walker to test a temporary pedestrian corridor, helping raise awareness among contractors about the realities faced by people with reduced mobility and ensuring their safety. Often, there’s a gap between theoretical requirements and real-life conditions, making hands-on experience vital.

Challenges and Constraints

One of the major challenges in maintaining UA during construction or temporary situations is the lack of clear, universal guidelines, which complicates the work of designers. Standards often vary by jurisdiction, making it harder to harmonize best practices. However, regulations are evolving and improving. A notable example is the introduction of a new signage standard for people who are blind or visually impaired. The ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable Tome V - signalisation routière (Déc. 2023) now recommends adding a third horizontal panel at the bottom of the "T-B-2" barrier to better guide visually impaired individuals. This additional panel must be no more than 200 mm from the ground and provides extra physical cues to enhance safety and mobility around construction zones.

In addition, despite the intention to implement UA measures on construction sites, several constraints persist:

Budget constraints

Construction budgets may be limited, making it difficult for clients and designers to implement all required accessibility measures.

Time constraints

Tight construction timelines can compromise the implementation of accessibility solutions. Many temporary installations last less than 24 hours, making the full deployment of accessibility infrastructure seem burdensome for such a short duration.

Spatial constraints

Limited space around work zones can complicate the installation of secure pedestrian corridors.

Knowledge gaps

A lack of training and awareness regarding the challenges faced by people with reduced mobility can lead to accessibility oversights. Temporary setups may be poorly designed to accommodate these individuals.

Potential Solutions

Training

While not mandatory, training on universal accessibility remains crucial to raise awareness among stakeholders. It begins with understanding the various types of disabilities and their functional limitations to better identify specific needs. A solid understanding of these needs is key to developing effective mobility management scenarios. At Intervia, employees received training from the Regroupement des Usagers du Transport Adapté et accessible de l’île de Montréal (RUTA) in 2021 to deepen their knowledge in this area.

Responsibility and innovation

Our use of a walker to assess the accessibility of temporary pedestrian corridors during the Pie-IX BRT project clearly demonstrated how effective this field practice can be in raising contractor awareness and ensuring compliance with UA standards. Given these results, it would be worthwhile, especially for large construction projects located in areas with significant infrastructure for people with reduced mobility (paratransit service zones, drop-off points, ramps, specialized institutions), to organize awareness sessions and require contractors to perform weekly site inspections using a wheelchair or walker. This practice would foster greater empathy and help tailor pedestrian corridor design and maintenance accordingly.

Harmonizing standards at the provincial level

The variety of existing requirements and standards often makes it difficult to implement consistent best practices province-wide. A universal guide issued directly by Québec’s ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable could facilitate the integration of UA measures across all construction sites in the province.

In Summary

Universal accessibility around construction sites is a complex challenge that requires thorough coordination and forward-thinking. Despite the various constraints involved, it is essential to continue working toward inclusive urban environments. By adhering to signage standards and ensuring adequate training of all stakeholders, cities can become spaces where every citizen, regardless of ability, can move safely and with dignity around construction zones.