Public sector · Accessibility
An accessibility-first redesign for a regional transit map
Seven transit lines, originally distinguished by hue alone, redesigned so they remain distinct for every type of color vision.
Written by Tomás Reyes · 9 July 2026 · Riverlands Transit Authority (composite case)
Before
After
The challenge
Riders with red–green color deficiency could not distinguish the Red and Green lines, which crossed at the busiest interchange. Complaints had been logged for years; the lines' names were embedded in signage and public identity, so renaming was not an option.
The approach
Every line color was re-chosen so that each pair differed by at least 20 L* in lightness or sat on clearly separated blue–yellow positions. We verified the full set in deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia and achromatopsia simulations, then tested with twelve riders who have color vision deficiencies.
Crucially, color stopped being the only cue: each line gained a letter and a distinct line pattern on maps.
Palette decisions
Red line #B3261E
Darkened significantly, so it separates from the Green line in lightness even when hue collapses.
Green line #2E7D6B
Shifted toward teal, pushing it onto the blue side of the blue–yellow axis.
Orange line #E07B00
Kept light and warm; the brightest line on the map.
The outcome
All twelve test riders could identify every line in context. The authority published the palette as open tokens so third-party journey apps could adopt it.