Guidance tactile walking surface indicators (TWSIs), typically a surface of raised bars, are used internationally to provide location and directional information at crosswalks to pedestrians who are blind. The bars are installed across the sidewalk, with the bars perpendicular to the travel path on the sidewalk and parallel to the direction of travel on the crosswalk. In the U.S., there has been little or no use of such surfaces at crosswalks because of concerns about the effect of these bars on individuals with mobility disabilities. However, difficulties of blind pedestrians in locating crosswalks and aligning to cross have been documented, and the installation of surfaces with bars parallel to the direction of travel on the sidewalk has been shown to be a possible solution. This research investigated the effects of crossings of TWSIs installed perpendicular versus parallel to the direction of travel on the sidewalk on 38 participants with mobility disabilities who used a variety of mobility aids. Crossing either orientation of bars caused some increase in effort and instability for more than half of participants. Effort was somewhat greater on average for all participants when crossing bars perpendicular to their travel. Stability for wheelchair users was poorer, on average, when the bars were oriented perpendicular to their travel. There was low incidence of any slipping of feet or mobility aids, and low incidence of trapping of wheels or cane/crutch/walker tips. A significant majority of participants expressed their preference for crossing bars oriented parallel to their travel.

引导触觉步行表面指示器（TWSI），通常是凸起的杆的表面，在国际上用于向盲人行人提供人行横道上的位置和方向信息。这些横杆安装在人行道上，横杆垂直于人行道上的行进路径，并平行于人行横道上的行进方向。在美国，由于担心这些钢筋对行动不便的人的影响，因此在人行横道上很少或根本没有使用这种表面。然而，盲人行人在确定人行横道和对准人行横道方面的困难已被记录在案，并且已证明在人行道上安装平行于行进方向的带杆表面是一种可能的解决方案。这项研究调查了38名行动不便的参与者使用各种行动辅助工具时，垂直安装的TWSI与人行道上平行于行进方向交叉的影响。横过两个方向的杆导致一半以上的参与者的努力和不稳定性有所增加。平均而言，所有参加者在垂直于他们的行进横杆时的努力程度都更大。平均而言，当轮椅垂直于他们的行进方向时，轮椅使用者的稳定性较差。脚或助行器打滑的发生率很低，而车轮或拐杖/拐杖/助行器的尖端被卡住的发生率也很低。绝大多数参与者表示他们偏爱与旅行平行的横杆。