The evaluation of tactile ground surface indicator condition and effectiveness on the sidewalk in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia

Installed on sidewalks, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI) aims to help people with visual impairments so that they can be more independent, mobile, confident, and safe when passing the road on which they often or even first-time pass. Improper installation of TGSI will make people with visual impairments confused and potentially cause accidents. This study aims to evaluate and discuss the existing conditions of TGSI installations on secondary arterial roads in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia and their impact on people with visual impairments. A field survey was conducted to answer this research question through measurements and photo documentation to discover the length of the installed TGSI and the condition of the existing of TGSI installation. The results indicated that out of the 14 secondary arterial road segments in Yogyakarta City, only 6 road segments or 43% of the roads had been installed with TGSI and the road sections had not been connected between each other. In addition, the major issues of existing TGSI installation are low connectivity, dangerous paths, inconsistent installations, and sidewalk facilities that did not consider people with visual impairments. Therefore, it can be said that the use of the TGSI facilities on secondary arterial roads in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, has not been effective and dangerous for people with visual impairments.