School of Built Environment

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Browsing School of Built Environment by Subject "Accessibility"

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    Accessibility Assessment and Improvement of Recreational Parks in Addis Ababa for People with Disabilites:The Case of Mobility and Visually Impaired People
    (Addis ababa University, 2021-08) Kalkidan Wondafere; Abdulfetah Aziza
    People with disabilities have the right to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life. They have the right to access the physical environment and other public facilities and services open to the public on an equal basis with others. Nevertheless, due to unfavorable conditions of different natures, people with disabilities who live in Addis Ababa have a limited opportunity to access public facilities and services as equal as others. One of the public facilities that manifest this problem is the limited access to urban parks. Due to design skills or poor management issues, most of the facilities and elements in the parks are whether damaged, obstructed, or miss placed and cause disabled people to have limited access. Hence, this research paper focuses on assessing the accessibility extent of the recreational parks in Addis Ababa for people with mobility and visual impairment and also recommending possible access improvements.To achieve the main objective of the research, the accessibility level of the recreational parks, factors that affect the accessibility level of the recreational parks, and improvement practices to increase the accessibility level of recreational parks are studied. Currently, there are 19 functional parks in Addis Ababa, out of which nine recreational parks from nine sub cities, are selected to be assessed in this research using stratified and purposive sampling methods. The size of the parks and the capacity to accommodate a larger population are the techniques used as sampling and site selection methods.A survey research method with mixed qualitative and quantitative methodologies is employed. Primary data is collected from a Field observation using an accessibility compliance evaluation checklist and from a formal interview with a selected parks management representatives. Although people with disabilities cannot be found in the selected parks during the data collection period, to take their views into account, primary data has also collected from the people with disabilities using questioners. Accordingly, one hundred eighteen mobility and visually impaired people have participated in the questionnaire from the permanent members of the Ethiopian National Association of the Physically Handicapped (ENAPH) and Ethiopian National Association of the Blind (ENAB) using a clustered sampling method. From the data collected and analyzed the results show that, as measured against the international accessibility standard, the recreational parks studied have a very low accessibility level for people with disabilities. The low level of accessibility is associated with physical barriers imposed in most recreational parks. Uneven surface flooring and obstructed entrance spaces, narrow, rough, and slippery circulation pathways, Steps without an adjacent ramp, lack of curb ramps in grade changes, and absence of textural marking strip and handrails on stairs, and grade change are some of these physical barriers. Besides the physical barriers, the lack of accessibility consideration for people with disabilities when the parks are designed, inadequacy and lack of implementation of the accessibility standards and design guidelines put in the park development manuals, and lack of regular maintenance and professionally skilled officials to follow up the maintenance procedures are some of the factors that affect the accessibility of the parks. vii Thus, to improve the accessibility level of the recreational parks for people with disabilities, this study recognizes the need for improvement from simple maintenance to modifying and redesigning the inaccessible features of all the park components and infrastructures. The study also recommended responsible bodies such as architects, planners, park administrators, and management staff to play a vital role in increasing the accessibility level of the parks.Finally, a design proposal is developed in a selected case area to demonstrate the recommended access improvements.
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    Exploring the Therapeutic Role of Urban Parks on Mental and Physical Health of City Residents: The Case of Addis Ababa
    (Addis Ababa University, 2026-02-01) Shimengus Blen ; Wondwossen Debebe
    Rapid urbanization in Addis Ababa has led to increased environmental problems, making the issue of urban parks as a tool for mental and physical health support regains the lead on the agenda. This paper investigates the perceptions of the residents of Addis Ababa on the mental and physical health benefits of selected urban parks in Addis Ababa and the extent to which these parks satisfy therapeutic urbanism principles. A concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design was employed, combining a cross sectional survey that was conducted among 372 park users, and data were collected through a five-point Likert scale. This was further supported by an observational assessment based on the standards of therapeutic urbanism through domains of accessibility, amenities, design quality, place making, and sustainability. Semi structured key informant interviews with relevant authorities was conducted. Survey respondents were selected through on-site convenience sampling with proportional allocation across eight selected urban parks in Addis Ababa, representing diverse park typologies. Quantitative analysis using weighted mean analysis showed that stress reduction was the factor that gained the highest perception score (M = 4.62), which was then followed by the overall improvement of mental well-being (M = 4.26), thus indicating very positive psychological outcomes. Over 96% of the respondents were in agreement that visits to the park help in reducing stress. The observational study results showed differences in therapeutic design compliance among the parks, with the better performing parks having stronger place-making and sensory design elements. The results revealed that urban parks in Addis Ababa are mainly operating as places of psychological restoration and function as informal restorative infrastructure. Thus, they support Stress Reduction Theory and Attention Restoration Theory, but they require stronger integration of therapeutic design standards and equitable access strategies to enhance mental-health outcomes citywide. The research also demonstrated that the principle of therapeutic design should be involved in urban planning if one wants to make the most of the mental health benefits obtained from rapidly urbanizing cities.
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    Human-Centric Urban Mobility Solutions for High-Density Regional Transportation Hub: The Case of Lamberet Long-Distance Bus Station and Its Neighbourhood
    (Addis Ababa University, 2025-12-01) Feben Ramish; Birhanu Girma
    This master thesis is about human, centered urban mobility challenges at Lamberet Transport Hub, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Lamberet is a hub regional bus terminal serving northern Ethiopia. The research delves into aspects of how the bus station influences the efficiency, accessibility, safety, and daily experiences of different stakeholders such as commuters, drivers, vendors, and residents of the nearby areas. The study points to main issues such as a lack of proper infrastructure, accessibility challenges, absence of safety features, poor environmental management, and the non, implementation of urban planning and zoning regulations. The movement of pedestrians around the place is a major struggle due to a lack of sidewalks, ramps, crosswalks, adequate lighting, and signage. Moreover, uncontrolled street vendors, and a mixture of pedestrian and vehicle movement have led to congestion and safety issues. Among the vulnerable, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children are the most impacted. Field observations, infrastructure inspections, pedestrian movement studies, land, use and mobility, pattern mapping, and ethnographic interviews with local inhabitants and commuters formed the study's core methodology. Besides, transport hub, related policies and regulations were also analyzed to pinpoint discrepancies between standards and field realities. The study uncovers that, while the terminal is an engine of the local economy, its social and environmental costs overshadow the benefits, as evidenced by overcrowding, noise pollution, inadequate waste management, and inefficient spatial arrangement. The terminal is not yet integrated with world, class standards in accessibility, inclusive mobility, and community participation. The study finds that by redesigning the Lamberet Transport Hub, the efficiency of the system as well as the experience of the users can be improved by clearly defining pedestrian, vehicular, and vendor areas; strictly applying existing regulations; upgrading accessibility infrastructure; making safety measures more effective; and involving the community. The use of human, centered and universal design approaches can help the hub to become a regional transport facility that is more inclusive, safe, and environmentally friendly.
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    Optimizing Urban Mobility Exploring the Gap between Travel Demand and Existing Public Transportation Network the Case of Bishoftu
    (Addis Ababa University, 2026-03-01) Michael Tesfaye; Zegeye Cherenet; Anteneh Tesfaye
    Ethiopia’s rapid urbanization has created a challenge in public transport systems of secondary cities like Bishoftu, which rely heavily on informal paratransit transport modes. This paper investigates, the mismatch between travel demand and current public transport network in Bishoftu amid growing population and physical expansion of its boundary. Using a multi criteria approach, the paper applied a Four Stage transport demand model on a block level TAZs (Traffic Analysis Zones) to analyze trip generation, distribution and optimal route assignment. Data were drawn from surveys of PT routes, road conditions and, and secondary sources including GIS data, Bishoftu Transport Authority records, and the 2019 Structure Plan Revision documents. The analysis, evaluated through four key performance indicators—accessibility, route directness, route diversity, and infrastructure condition—reveals significant gaps in service provision. Findings indicate low level of public transport accessibility with 18.6% of Bishoftu urban blocks not having access to public transport routes within a walking distance of 500m. Six, three-wheeler routes out of thirty-eight studied are found to have mobility index value higher than 1.4, indicating inefficient route assignments that should be optimized. Infrastructure limitations further constrain service, as minibuses are restricted to asphalt roads, while three-wheelers dominate on lower quality surfaces. This study concludes that Bishoftu’s current paratransit network is inadequately aligned with its mobility demand and street layout. It recommends route optimization, infrastructure upgrades, and the introduction of ring-road connections to improve accessibility and efficiency. The methodology and indicators developed are transferable for analyzing and optimizing public transport in similar Ethiopian secondary cities, contributing to the broader goal of achieving sustainable, compact urban centers by improving mobility planning. Future research should incorporate real-time travel data and explore the integration of formal mass transit systems.