One trend I've noticed lately in parking and mobility procurements is increasing emphasis on WCAG and digital accessibility requirements, which is great to see. But I honestly can't recall ever seeing requirements around broader cognitive accessibility or neuro-inclusive accessibility and design.
I have visibility into a lot of RFPs, SOWs, etc., regardless, my lens is somewhat narrow here, but from what I've personally seen, this just doesn't seem to come up in procurement language. It got me wondering what the actual landscape looks like and whether cities are beginning to view this as important enough to formally require in some capacity, whether through smaller, easy-to-implement design considerations or larger accessibility initiatives. With growing awareness around neurodivergency and hidden disabilities, and initiatives like NYC's Neurodiverse City exploring things like sensory overload, intuitive navigation and cognitive accessibility in public spaces, are more cities beginning to think about this in mobility systems too? If so, what does that actually look like today? Or is the general stance that it's too difficult to achieve, too expensive or simply lower on the priority list?
It also feels like this is an area where vendors could potentially be more proactively supportive as technology evolves, not just checking accessibility boxes but helping reduce confusion, friction and cognitive load in public-facing systems overall. Curious what others are seeing.
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Julia Scholl
Marketing Manager
Park Loyalty, Inc.
Baraboo WI
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