New App Lets Users Rate Accessibility of Businesses

By Les Masterson

Whether a restaurant is wheelchair-accessible is as important to many diners as the quality of the food or ambiance of the restaurant. 

A shopping experience can be ruined if a business isn't handicap accessible. 

A new app looks to highlight these issues and let users rate establishments on their accessibility. 

AbleRoad, a Waltham-based company, launched a website and smartphone app that allows users to rate businesses, restaurants, hotels and medical practices on their accessibility. Much like popular apps like Yelp!, AbleRoad looks to help consumers make the right choices.

The topics rated by app users are:

• Mobility – Parking, restrooms and paths to entrances.
• Hearing – Captioning, video phone and noise levels.
• Sight – Public transportation, guide dog/service animal and lighting.
• Cognitive – Easy path of travel, oral information and spaces clearly marked.

The site and mobile app are free to access.

Find out more about Able Road here.