Safe and Accessible Pedestrian Facilities Inventory Model (SAPFIM): Planning and Design

Cevallos, Fabian · 2020 · ROSA P / National Center for Transit Research (U.S.)

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Summary

This report details the planning and design phase of the Safe and Accessible Pedestrian Facilities Inventory Model (SAPFIM), a web-based software application intended to assist local agencies in managing pedestrian infrastructure. The research was motivated by the critical need for continuous, accessible pedestrian networks to improve community livability, public health, and mobility, particularly for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Existing challenges include the difficulty large urban areas face in maintaining ADA compliance and the lack of readily available, accurate data to prioritize repairs, improvements, or new construction. Without such tools, agencies struggle to identify deficiencies or schedule necessary corrections effectively. The primary objective was to plan and design a software tool that facilitates the collection, storage, querying, analysis, and reporting of pedestrian facilities, specifically sidewalks along public roads. The methodology involved a comprehensive literature review to establish accessibility criteria based on the Guidelines for Accessible Public Rights of Way (PROWAG) and the ADA Standards for Transportation Facilities (ADASTF). The report reviews historical accessibility standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and analyzes existing inventory practices from various jurisdictions, such as the Ada County Highway District and Caltrans. The design specifies that data will be collected using field devices, such as tablets equipped with GPS, cameras, and wireless capabilities, allowing for direct upload to a web server. The system is structured to capture detailed attributes of sidewalks, curb ramps, and street crossings, including dimensions, surface conditions, obstacles, and accessibility features. The findings presented in the report outline the specific data elements and criteria required for the SAPFIM database. This includes detailed metrics for sidewalks (e.g., width, cross-slope, material, surface condition, and presence of fixed or movable obstacles), curb ramps (e.g., slope, landing width, detectable warnings), and street crossings (e.g., signal accessibility, crosswalk markings). The report emphasizes that good sidewalk design must account for accessibility, safety, and social interaction, noting that barriers such as steep grades, narrow widths, and protruding obstacles significantly hinder pedestrians with disabilities. The design also incorporates maintenance considerations, highlighting that proper upkeep is essential for maintaining accessibility and reducing slip-and-fall incidents. The report provides a data flow diagram and application design, illustrating how field-collected data will be processed and stored. The significance of this work lies in providing a structured framework for local agencies to systematically inventory and assess pedestrian facilities. By leveraging standardized accessibility criteria and digital data collection methods, SAPFIM aims to enable intelligent decision-making regarding infrastructure investments. The tool supports the development of transition plans required by ADA regulations, helping agencies prioritize projects that remove structural barriers and enhance walkability. Ultimately, the SAPFIM design contributes to the broader goal of creating safer, more inclusive communities by ensuring that pedestrian networks are accessible to all users, thereby promoting social equity and improved quality of life. The report concludes by outlining next steps for the development and deployment of the web-based application.

Key finding

The project successfully planned and designed the SAPFIM web application framework, establishing data collection criteria based on PROWAG and ADASTF standards to facilitate the inventory and prioritization of pedestrian facility improvements.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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