By Yared Seyoum
- Blind Pedestrians Face Threat on Addis Ababa's Roads
Hailemariam Tsegaye sighed heavily as he woke up for another day. The 37-year-old was born blind, and navigating the busy streets of Addis Ababa on his own was a daily struggle. Without a cane or guide, it was difficult to cross roads or know where sidewalks ended and streets began. The infrastructure simply wasn't designed with the needs of the visually impaired in mind.
Hailemariam felt around on his nightstand for his stick and got dressed slowly, dreading the challenges the day would bring. After eating a small breakfast of injera and shiro, he breathed deeply to steel his nerves and ventured outside.
His neighborhood was bustling with activity as everyone went about their morning routines. Hailemariam tapped his stick gently on the ground, listening closely for any cues that might help guide his way. Vendors calling out to attract customers, honking cars, chatting pedestrians - it was sensory overload without visual context.
He cautiously made his way down the sidewalk, stick sweeping back and forth. Without raised tactile strips or detectable edges, it was impossible to tell for sure when the pedestrian way ended and the road began. Hailemariam crouched lower, straining his ears for any indication of oncoming traffic as his stick met empty air.
Taking a tentative step, he felt his foot meet smooth asphalt. Cars zoomed by mere inches from where he stood, their engines and turbulence buffeting him from both sides. Hailemariam froze, heart pounding, as he tried to judge if it was safe to cross. Without audible cues like crossing signals, he had no way of knowing when it might be clear.
After several agonizing minutes, the flow of vehicles seemed to lessen slightly. Hailemariam took a chance and hurried across, stick waving frantically to feel for the opposite curb. He breathed a sigh of relief as his foot nudged the elevated edge, pulling himself onto the welcoming sidewalk. That was too close of a call.
The rest of Hailemariam's walk proved equally fraught. Sidewalks ended without warning, depositing him unexpectedly into the path of traffic. Potholes and uneven surfaces threatened to twist his ankle at any moment. Vendors spilled out into pedestrian areas, cluttering the path and confusing his cane.
By the time Hailemariam arrived at the association for the visually impaired, he was exhausted and on edge. "Another harrowing trip," he sighed.
The roads in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, present many challenges and discomforts for blind individuals living in the city. With a population of over four million people, Addis Ababa is a bustling and busy metropolis.
However, the infrastructure and urban design of the city does not adequately support the needs of blind residents when it comes to navigating roads and sidewalks. Some key issues that make the roads uncomfortable for blind people include lack of tactile paving, incomplete or nonexistent sidewalks, obstacles on walking paths, unsafe intersections, and inadequate transportation options.
One of the biggest problems is the lack of tactile ground surface indicators, also known as tactile paving. Tactile paving consists of textured ground surfaces that alert blind pedestrians about upcoming hazards or direction changes through distinct patterns detected by a white cane. Features like sidewalk edges, intersection approaches, and dropped curbs are typically demarcated by tactile paving in accessibility-friendly cities.
However, this crucial navigational tool is rarely used in Addis Ababa. Without tactile cues, blind individuals have difficulty identifying where sidewalks start and end, where driveways or alleys intersect walking paths, and knowing when they are approaching intersections or crosswalks. This lack of information makes independent navigation extremely risky.
Even where sidewalks exist, they are often incomplete, in disrepair, or obstructed. Large sections may be missing, forcing blind pedestrians out into traffic. Uneven surfaces, gaps, and cracks pose trip hazards. Vendors, vehicles parked on curbs, construction materials, vegetation, and trash also frequently block and constrict already narrow sidewalks. Navigating around these unpredictable obstacles blindfolded is daunting.
Roads themselves present dangers because of the mixed traffic environment. Cars, buses, bikes, taxis, and motorcycles all compete for space, and blind pedestrians have little protection. Crossing multi-lane roads without the assistance of properly marked and timed signals is scary.
Overloaded matatus (mini-buses) and trucks barreling down streets offer no consideration to non-visual users of the road. Loud honking and revving engines add to the sensory overload without providing navigational cues.
Intersections are particularly troublesome. Without tactile markings, curb cuts, and audible signals, blind travelers have difficulty locating and orienting themselves at crossings. They cannot independently determine when it is safe to cross due to the fast-paced traffic patterns and randomness of drivers stopping behaviors. Crossing solely relies on sighted guidance or risky trial and error.
A further issue lies in the general lack of accessible transportation options available. The public bus system is not fully accessible with audible next-stop announcements or boarding assistance. Taxis and ride-hailing vehicles are usually not equipped to transport folding wheelchairs or guide dogs. Walking long distances is therefore often the only choice, exacerbating problems associated with the inadequacies of pedestrian infrastructure.
Social attitudes also pose a hindrance. Many drivers do not slow down or pay attention to pedestrians in general. Crossing the road usually requires assertively stopping traffic oneself instead of drivers naturally yielding. Sighted individuals frequently do not provide ongoing guidance when requested. This leaves blind travelers feeling socially isolated and reliant only on themselves for mobility. The fast pace and individualism of Addis Ababa culture clash with the patience and teamwork required for accessibility.
Left without well-designed walking routes or transportation aids, blind residents struggle to independently access employment, education, healthcare, shopping, and other aspects of urban life. Isolation and exclusion grow when mobility is so dependent on personal assistance that is not always available.
While the roads in Addis Ababa have long presented challenges for blind residents to navigate independently and comfortably, there are promising signs of progress in recent months. The city administration has increasingly prioritized pedestrian safety and accessibility in public spaces. Several new sidewalks are being constructed across the main streets of the capital. These infrastructure upgrades are enhancing mobility and inclusion for blind citizens.
However, meaningful involvement of the blind community in planning and implementation has been lacking. Without consultation on lived experiences and needs, projects may overlook key accessibility barriers or fall short of international standards.
While material changes are occurring, a lack of blind voices in the process indicates their specific mobility requirements remain a secondary priority. More work is still needed to proactively design inclusive infrastructure from the outset.