Prioritizing Sidewalk Accessibility Improvements for the Aging Population and Individuals with Disabilities: A Case Study of Bandung, Indonesia

Abstract

While walking is fundamental to inclusive urban mobility, major cities in Indonesia continue to face challenges in providing barrier-free pedestrian infrastructure, even for individuals without physical impairments. As the population of older adults in Indonesia continues to grow, the risk of disability within this demographic will increase, contributing to the overall number of individuals with disabilities. In Bandung City, there is a rising awareness across various sectors of society regarding the rights of older adults and individuals with disabilities to navigate sidewalks safely. These trends highlight the importance of improving inclusivity on city streets, where people travel daily to reach their essential and desired destinations.

This thesis explores an evidence-based methodology to prioritize sidewalk accessibility improvements for older adults and individuals with physical disabilities, aiming to develop a prioritization strategy that targets maximum impacts. Accessibility scores and pedestrian flow counts are calculated with the Urban Network Analysis (UNA) toolbox. Three types of user groups—non-disabled individuals, cane or crutch users, and wheelchair users—were assigned penalties for each type of barrier on a sidewalk segment, resulting in varying perceived distances. Those with physical mobility limitations perceived longer distances than those without. To identify priority locations, a system-selection ranking was applied that considered sidewalk segments with both high-frequency usage and significant discrepancies between actual and perceived lengths. The methods outlined in this thesis are scalable for use in other neighborhoods and cities, thereby supporting data-driven decision-making in pedestrian infrastructure improvements.