Bangkok sidewalk project focused on use and safety for those with disabilities

Bangkok officials are working on a project to make the sidewalks and pavement in the heart of the capital more functional and safer for those with disabilities as well as the elderly. The sidewalk design will incorporate ramps for wheelchair users as well as braille blocks, also known as tactile paving, for those with vision impairments.

The project is focused on just over 2 kilometres of Rama I Road in the city centre and is expected to be completed by next month and will serve as a model for other locations in Bangkok. Running from the Ratchaprasong Intersection near the Erawan Shrine to the Pathum Wan Intersection by Siam Discovery, the project will include areas in front of the popular shopping centres CentralWorld and Siam Paragon as well as the area under the Siam BTS station, the largest and busiest Skytrain station.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says the payment area is being widened to meet the international standard of at least 2.4 metres wide. The project’s designers have focused on improving the sidewalks to make them more friendly for the elderly and those with disabilities by not only making sure the payment is smooth and wide enough for wheelchair users, but also adding ramps and braille blocks. New signs, lights, and green space will be incorporated into the design and the underground utilities will also be improved.

SOURCE: PR Bangkok