This report presents evaluation findings on the Remote Infrared Audible Signage (RIAS) Pilot Program in the Puget Sound Region of Washington. The installation, demonstration and evaluation of RIAS were required by a provision in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users. RIAS is an orientation and mobility technology designed to eliminate barriers to accessibility for people who are visually impaired or are cognitively or developmentally disabled. The evaluation was designed specifically to better understand the impacts of RIAS on multimodal accessibility, on transit ridership, on transit operators, and on quality of life issues. This report outlines the evaluation methodology and presents focus group and survey findings, lessons learned, conclusions, and recommendations.

The problem that this report tackles is determining how to best utilize Rte 2A and the surrounding roadways to access Minute Man National Historical Park and Battle Road while minimizing the impact of other trips on the visitor experience. This study tries to answer this question in two ways. (1) Identify a maximum daily traffic level on Rte 2A that could provide the best possible traffic movement that benefits the visitor to the park while still allowing the other trips to use this roadway. (2)Propose several options that can be combined or done separately to either help maintain the desired traffic level and minimize the traffic impact on the visitor experience.