Method of Selecting the Optimal Location of Barrier-Free Bus Stops Using Clustering

Abstract

Recently, there has been a greater need for barrier-free bus stops as the number of elderly people has rapidly grown, and social interest in the right to transport for the disabled has increased. Barrier-free bus stops refer to stops without obstacles, like flowerbeds and trash cans, to ensure the disabled, the elderly, etc., are comfortable getting on and off the bus. These stops may also have additional support facilities such as enhanced sidewalk block maintenance, braille block reinforcement, and low-floor bus location indications. However, the transportation environment for those in need is still not improving. Of the buses operating in Seoul, only 47.3% are low-floor buses designed for wheelchairs, and there are not enough barrier-free bus stops. In addition, notwithstanding the recent protests regarding the right to travel for the disabled. However, barrier-free bus stops have not increased, and the right to travel is not guaranteed. According to the Nodeul Independent Living Center for the Disabled, after monitoring mobility in Jongno-gu since 2019, it was found that the accessibility for wheelchairs and blind route information in Jongno-gu was minimal. Jongno-gu is an essential stopover for bus routes and is the core of Seoul’s transportation system, with a floating population of more than two million. Thus, the lack of accessible transportation is an issue. This study address these problems, by proposing installation locations of barrier-free bus stops by using cluster analysis. The analysis was conducted using information on ‘convenience facilities with provisions for the disabled’ (ease of use for the disabled), ‘institutional transportation facilities for the vulnerable’ (welfare facilities), and ‘the population getting on and off of transportation’ (accessibility of transportation). This study used convenience, welfare, and transportation accessibility to determine stops.