How Accessible Are Beijing’s Streets for People with Disabilities? A Network-Based Study of Urban Mobility and Inclusion

Abstract

Urban mobility and inclusion for people with disabilities (PWDs) remain critical challenges globally, particularly in rapidly developing megacities like Beijing, where physical and institutional barriers often restrict travel to essential and short-distance trips, a pattern termed "survival-oriented mobility." Existing research frequently overlooks the nuanced travel experiences of PWDs, relying on aggregate metrics biased toward non-disabled norms, which perpetuates systemic neglect. To address this gap, this study employs a network-based spatial analysis framework for Xicheng District, Beijing, integrating geospatial data with scenario-based simulations of barrier-free facility availability. Our principal results reveal two key findings: only 17.69% of intersections have barrier-free facilities, with severe spatial inequity between core and peripheral areas; a 20% reduction in barrier-free infrastructure acts as a critical threshold, beyond which detour ratios increase sharply, especially for essential services (e.g., medical, shopping). The study concludes that urban accessibility planning must move beyond abstract efficiency metrics by directly incorporating the lived experiences and needs of PWDs. Prioritizing equitable infrastructure distribution, particularly at intersections and routes to key destinations, is imperative to mitigate detour burdens and advance truly inclusive urban development.