New Ideas CityHello Museum

Visually Impaired Way-finding through Construction Zones

Cover Image:

Photo: Cooper Union School of Architecture 2015

Part of the Street Program

Construction zones are potentially hazardous for everyone, and they pose a unique challenge to the visually impaired pedestrian. These pedestrians often rely more heavily on memory and other senses to find their way in a busy environment; thus, construction work can render once-familiar routes unnavigable. The New York City Department of Design and Construction will present research and design strategies from Cooper Union students and the Mayor’s Office of People with Disabilities at an exhibition on visually impaired way-finding through construction zones. IDEAS CITY participants will be invited to explore potential solutions near a construction site.