Top "Easy to Trip" and "Hard to Walk" Place on Roads is "Steps between Sidewalks and Roadways". 73% Answer They Would be "Happy" if Their Neighborhood Was Made Barrier-Free
A joint survey by NEXER and Fujioka Concrete Industry revealed that the #1 place people find hard to walk is the step between sidewalks and roads. 73% desire barrier-free neighborhoods.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 22:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 13:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 15:13 (1h 41m after Collected)
■ Have you ever been conscious of barrier-free roads?
The roads around your home that you usually walk casually.
Unnoticed, elements that make it hard to walk, such as small steps and narrow sidewalks, lurk in these familiar roads.
When pushing a stroller, walking with an elderly family member, or moving with a cane.
Many of you may have experienced feeling someone's 'difficulty walking' close at hand.
Therefore, this time, in collaboration with Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd., we conducted a questionnaire on "barrier-free roads" targeting 500 men and women nationwide.
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please take the following actions.
- State that the source is a "survey by NEXER Inc. and Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd."
- Place a link to Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd. (https://www.fujioka-con.jp/)
"Questionnaire on Barrier-Free Roads" Survey Overview
Survey method: Internet questionnaire
Survey period: April 7 to April 15, 2026
Target audience: Men and women nationwide
Valid responses: 500 samples
Question contents:
Question 1: Do you or your family ever use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to get around?
Question 2: Have you ever felt inconvenienced moving around the roads near your home using a wheelchair, stroller, or cane?
Question 3: Where do you feel it is "easy to trip" or "hard to walk" on the road? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 4: What do you think needs improvement regarding barrier-free roads? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 5: Would you be happy if the roads around your home were made barrier-free?
Question 6: Please tell us the reason.
*As a rule, figures are rounded to the nearest tenth, so the total may not equal 100%.
■ 7.6% answered "I or my family sometimes use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to get around"
First, we asked if they or their family ever use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to move around.
As a result, 7.6% said "Yes" and 92.4% said "No".
Although the percentage is not large, it shows that there are a certain number of situations in daily life where mobility aids are used. It can be said that situations where the ease of walking on roads affects life, such as when pushing a stroller or an elderly family member using a cane, are by no means rare.
■ 71.1% answered "I have felt inconvenienced moving on the roads around my home"
Next, we asked those who answered "Yes" that they or their family use mobility aids, if they have ever felt inconvenienced moving on the roads near their homes.
As a result, 71.1% said "Yes" and 28.9% said "No".
From the standpoint of someone using a mobility aid, even slight steps or narrow pathways that normally go unnoticed can lead to difficulty in movement. It suggests that there are many instances where it is difficult for individuals and their families to move safely even around their homes.
■ The most "easy to trip" and "hard to walk" place is the "step between the sidewalk and the roadway" at 43.0%
So, where exactly do people feel it is easy to trip or hard to walk?
Next, we asked about places on the road that feel "easy to trip" or "hard to walk".
The most common answer was the "step between the sidewalk and the roadway" at 43.0%.
This was followed by "places that are slippery on rainy days" at 37.8%, "cracked pavement" at 25.0%, "narrow sidewalks" at 24.0%, and "sloped sidewalks" at 18.6%.
It is clear that many people feel anxious about the structure and damage of the roads as causes of walking difficulty.
In particular, the boundary between the sidewalk and the roadway seems to be a place where even a slight step can easily catch a foot and lead to stumbling.
■ 54.4% cite "elimination of steps" as an improvement point
Next, we asked what points need improvement for barrier-free roads.
The most common answer was "elimination of steps" at 54.4%, with more than half citing it as an issue.
This was followed by "leveling the road surface" at 35.6%, "widening sidewalks" at 34.8%, and "removal of obstacles (utility poles, signs, etc.)" at 27.8%.
To make roads safe to walk on, it is clear that there is a demand to first reduce underfoot inconveniences such as steps and uneven road surfaces. To create an environment where everyone can move easily, it seems important to review familiar barriers one by one.
■ 73.0% answered "I would be happy if the roads around my home were made barrier-free"
Next, we asked if they would be happy if the roads around their homes were made barrier-free.
As a result, ... responded they strongly thought so.
The roads around your home that you usually walk casually.
Unnoticed, elements that make it hard to walk, such as small steps and narrow sidewalks, lurk in these familiar roads.
When pushing a stroller, walking with an elderly family member, or moving with a cane.
Many of you may have experienced feeling someone's 'difficulty walking' close at hand.
Therefore, this time, in collaboration with Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd., we conducted a questionnaire on "barrier-free roads" targeting 500 men and women nationwide.
*When quoting the contents of this press release, please take the following actions.
- State that the source is a "survey by NEXER Inc. and Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd."
- Place a link to Fujioka Concrete Industry Co., Ltd. (https://www.fujioka-con.jp/)
"Questionnaire on Barrier-Free Roads" Survey Overview
Survey method: Internet questionnaire
Survey period: April 7 to April 15, 2026
Target audience: Men and women nationwide
Valid responses: 500 samples
Question contents:
Question 1: Do you or your family ever use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to get around?
Question 2: Have you ever felt inconvenienced moving around the roads near your home using a wheelchair, stroller, or cane?
Question 3: Where do you feel it is "easy to trip" or "hard to walk" on the road? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 4: What do you think needs improvement regarding barrier-free roads? (Multiple answers allowed)
Question 5: Would you be happy if the roads around your home were made barrier-free?
Question 6: Please tell us the reason.
*As a rule, figures are rounded to the nearest tenth, so the total may not equal 100%.
■ 7.6% answered "I or my family sometimes use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to get around"
First, we asked if they or their family ever use a wheelchair, stroller, or cane to move around.
As a result, 7.6% said "Yes" and 92.4% said "No".
Although the percentage is not large, it shows that there are a certain number of situations in daily life where mobility aids are used. It can be said that situations where the ease of walking on roads affects life, such as when pushing a stroller or an elderly family member using a cane, are by no means rare.
■ 71.1% answered "I have felt inconvenienced moving on the roads around my home"
Next, we asked those who answered "Yes" that they or their family use mobility aids, if they have ever felt inconvenienced moving on the roads near their homes.
As a result, 71.1% said "Yes" and 28.9% said "No".
From the standpoint of someone using a mobility aid, even slight steps or narrow pathways that normally go unnoticed can lead to difficulty in movement. It suggests that there are many instances where it is difficult for individuals and their families to move safely even around their homes.
■ The most "easy to trip" and "hard to walk" place is the "step between the sidewalk and the roadway" at 43.0%
So, where exactly do people feel it is easy to trip or hard to walk?
Next, we asked about places on the road that feel "easy to trip" or "hard to walk".
The most common answer was the "step between the sidewalk and the roadway" at 43.0%.
This was followed by "places that are slippery on rainy days" at 37.8%, "cracked pavement" at 25.0%, "narrow sidewalks" at 24.0%, and "sloped sidewalks" at 18.6%.
It is clear that many people feel anxious about the structure and damage of the roads as causes of walking difficulty.
In particular, the boundary between the sidewalk and the roadway seems to be a place where even a slight step can easily catch a foot and lead to stumbling.
■ 54.4% cite "elimination of steps" as an improvement point
Next, we asked what points need improvement for barrier-free roads.
The most common answer was "elimination of steps" at 54.4%, with more than half citing it as an issue.
This was followed by "leveling the road surface" at 35.6%, "widening sidewalks" at 34.8%, and "removal of obstacles (utility poles, signs, etc.)" at 27.8%.
To make roads safe to walk on, it is clear that there is a demand to first reduce underfoot inconveniences such as steps and uneven road surfaces. To create an environment where everyone can move easily, it seems important to review familiar barriers one by one.
■ 73.0% answered "I would be happy if the roads around my home were made barrier-free"
Next, we asked if they would be happy if the roads around their homes were made barrier-free.
As a result, ... responded they strongly thought so.