Tactiles

Site Planning
Best practice guidance for site planning
Decision framework
Tactiles must be developed in accordance with the National Construction Code (NCC) and the Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme.
Select TGSI which comply for design dimensions and installation with the provisions of AS 1428.4.1:2009 Design for access and mobility: Means to assist the orientation of people with vision impairment – Tactile ground surface indicators.
There are a range of Australian Standards/best practice guidelines, relating to this category. Key documents are referenced throughout and in the LIM Tactiles - Standards.
Site decisions
All decisions, including the location of the embellishment and related infrastructure, must be made in conjunction with council (determined by site location), including officers from such areas as:
- Council (Parks and Gardens)
- Council (Environmental Operations)
- Council (Transport Network Management)
Users
Consult with council stakeholders, neighbouring properties and identified park users in the planning stage of a project.
Site conditions
Consider the physical characteristics of a site and requirements of the activities conducted:
- location of utilities
- well drained site
- level surface.
Co-location of facilities
- Facilities, including parking, drinking fountains, seats etc, are often already established and need to be considered in the overall design of the application of tactiles to paths and road access points.
Potential site conflicts
Consider both the beginning and the end of a journey, together with a safe path of travel through the built environment. Consider carefully where you are directing people.
- Consider the use of tactiles to direct vision impaired people away from:
- hazards such as waterways, fire and flood prone areas, sewers and stormwater drains.
- high use bikeways, busy roads and steep slopes, to avoid accidents.
- Warning or hazard TGSI are required to indicate a safe path of travel when there is an overhead hazard such as a sloping wall, or an overhead sign.
Planning for sustainability
Refer Design principles – Sustainability for guidance.
Planning for future works
- Co-locate embellishments requiring similar services e.g. water, to reduce infrastructure, where possible.
- Where underground utilities are installed, set brass markers to concrete slab edges to indicate the location.
- Consider installation of additional conduits under concrete slabs for future provision, where utilities (e.g. electrical, water) and irrigation systems are planned. Ensure additional conduit is capped to prevent ingress of water and debris.
- Consider climate change impacts on the embellishment location and construction 1.
- In coastal areas, or near waterways, design should consider rise in sea level predictions, storm tide, salt inundation and severe storm events.
- Positioning should also consider flooding, seasonal/ephemeral water bodies and water table changes.
- Near bushland areas, design should consider the occurrence of bushfires.
Source 1: Sunshine Coast Environment and Liveability Strategy 2017.
This component is currently in development