StepFree - Wheelchair Access and Travel

Only 32% of NYC subway stations are ADA accessible, making transit a challenge for those in wheelchairs—until now. StepFree maps routes by identifying and routing only through accessible stations.

Comment 3

Inspiration

Only 32% of subway stations in New York City are accessible by wheelchair, leaving millions of riders stranded. Two of our team members have family in NYC and have seen firsthand how inaccessible the city can be for those with mobility challenges. This reality inspired us to build a service that does not yet exist anywhere on the internet—until now.

What It Does

StepFree is a web app that helps mobility-impaired individuals confidently navigate NYC’s complex transit system. It identifies fully, partially, or non-accessible subway stations, then generates real-time routes that avoid inaccessible stations. No more guesswork or hours spent researching—StepFree takes care of it all in one place.

How We Built It

  • Frontend: Next.js, TypeScript, Shadcn UI, Framer Motion, and components.work by brijr for a fast, responsive user experience.
  • Mapping: Mapbox (interactive subway map) + OpenStreetMap (base layer) + Google Maps API (turn-by-turn directions).
  • Accessibility Tagging: Our system classifies subway stations based on wheelchair-friendliness.
  • Database & Auth: Supabase manages user data, route histories, and secure sign-ups/logins.
  • Deployment: We deployed to Vercel, ensuring a seamless CI/CD workflow for quick iteration.

Challenges We Ran Into

  • First Time with New Tech: None of us had used TypeScript, Next.js, or these specific animation and component libraries before. We hit a steep learning curve early on.
  • Working with Map APIs: Integrating Mapbox, OpenStreetMap, and Google Maps in one cohesive workflow was uniquely challenging—and also rewarding.
  • Time Constraints: We had only 24 hours, so balancing experimentation with actually shipping features was intense. Yet every breakthrough felt amazing.

Accomplishments We’re Proud Of

  • Deployed with Time to Spare: We finished and deployed the project two hours before the deadline—something we initially thought impossible.
  • First of Its Kind: We’re proud to say there’s no existing wheelchair-focused subway routing app on the market. StepFree fills a real need.
  • Team Growth: Our entire team worked in brand-new technologies, from the frontend stack to advanced mapping services, and we learned a ton.

What We Learned

  • New Tech Mastery: Jumping into TypeScript, Next.js, and advanced mapping libraries was daunting, but each of us emerged with new skills and a deeper understanding of modern web development.
  • Collaboration & Iteration: Rapid iteration, constant communication, and frequent commits helped us tackle the challenges efficiently.

What’s Next for StepFree

Imagine what we could do in a week or a month if this is what we built in 24 hours. We see massive potential for StepFree—expanding coverage to more cities, adding live construction or elevator outage data, and refining routing to handle multi-modal transport. If there’s a market for this, we’d love to explore it further and help make cities more accessible for everyone.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates