Comments on: Demanding Safe Passage for Americans with Disabilities http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: John Lascurettes http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-151051 John Lascurettes Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:20:27 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-151051 Imagine the furor of vehicularists if many of their normal ways of getting around a city were blocked by barricades or impassible obstacles such as cracks or sign posts in the middle of streets. Imagine the furor of vehicularists if many of their normal ways of getting around a city were blocked by barricades or impassible obstacles such as cracks or sign posts in the middle of streets.

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-148461 Mark Walker Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:04:40 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-148461 Cantor, I don't mean to be argumentative, but Gecko referred to transit in general, without specifying the subway, and this is consistent with his longstanding antipathy to transit. My neighborhood subway stop, 96th & Broadway, is getting elevators and I couldn't be happier to see it. Cantor, I don’t mean to be argumentative, but Gecko referred to transit in general, without specifying the subway, and this is consistent with his longstanding antipathy to transit.

My neighborhood subway stop, 96th & Broadway, is getting elevators and I couldn’t be happier to see it.

]]> By: Cantor Kintisch http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-148271 Cantor Kintisch Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:55:45 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-148271 Mark, It is true that busses are wheelchair accessible, however I believe that Gecko was pointing out that if you're in a wheelchair you are limited to subway use only where stations have elevators. It is a blessing to be able-bodied, but an ideal transit system includes elevators so that disabled folks can ride our trains as well. Ben Mark,

It is true that busses are wheelchair accessible, however I believe that Gecko was pointing out that if you’re in a wheelchair you are limited to subway use only where stations have elevators.

It is a blessing to be able-bodied, but an ideal transit system includes elevators so that disabled folks can ride our trains as well.

Ben

]]> By: Mark Walker http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-148051 Mark Walker Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:45:36 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-148051 Gecko, get off your bike long enough to take a look at NYC buses. They've accommodated wheelchairs for quite awhile. Gecko, get off your bike long enough to take a look at NYC buses. They’ve accommodated wheelchairs for quite awhile.

]]> By: gecko http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-147931 gecko Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:45:39 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-147931 yeah, just try to navigate this town's massive transit in a wheelchair! yeah, just try to navigate this town’s massive transit in a wheelchair!

]]> By: jass http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-147781 jass Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:20:11 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-147781 The problem is that the corners are paid for by the city, while the rest of the sidewalk is payed for by the property owner. As the picture shows, no building means no sidewalk. Laws need to be changed. The city should build a sidewalk and then bill the eventual owner who builds on the property. Or, fund it through property taxes, like the street is. (Although looking at the condition of asphalt in that picture, it appears the the property owner is also somewhat responsible for that) The problem is that the corners are paid for by the city, while the rest of the sidewalk is payed for by the property owner. As the picture shows, no building means no sidewalk.

Laws need to be changed. The city should build a sidewalk and then bill the eventual owner who builds on the property. Or, fund it through property taxes, like the street is. (Although looking at the condition of asphalt in that picture, it appears the the property owner is also somewhat responsible for that)

]]> By: Cantor Kintisch http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/demanding-safe-passage-for-americans-with-disabilities/comment-page-1/#comment-147481 Cantor Kintisch Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:50:38 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=83681#comment-147481 During college, I got hurt pretty badly in an accident. So, for two months running, I was in a wheelchair, and boy was that illuminating! Sidewalks are generally something you don't really notice unless you are mobility impaired, using a cane, walker, wheelchair or scooter, or, if you're pushing a stroller or granny-cart. So, after having never really noticed how bad the sidewalks (of Providence, RI) were, or, how inaccessible many of the old (Brown University) buildings were, all of a sudden, I noticed! I quickly learned as I tried to navigate the campus which sidewalks were good, which were so-so, and which were impassable. For that final group, the impassable sidewalks, I was forced into traffic - a very scary situation for me as a vulnerable, injured person. Thank God, ten years later, I am totally fit and healthy (but for some lingering back pain) but I always notice when sidewalks are in good shape and where they are in disrepair. I'm glad this article has been posted, not just because sidewalks are an important part of public safety for the groups I mentioned above, but because someday, nearly all of us will need good sidewalks. Hopefully most of us stay healthy and mobile, but we all age, and we all are vulnerable to disease and injury. In terms of Livable Streets activism, I think sidewalk improvements, including proper curb cuts, are a worthy goal for safety in general, but also a really good way to broaden the appeal of our Livable Streets message - Safe sidewalks are good for many groups at once: Parents with babies/kids, Dog owners, Disabled folks, Senior Citizens. During college, I got hurt pretty badly in an accident.

So, for two months running, I was in a wheelchair, and boy was that illuminating!

Sidewalks are generally something you don’t really notice unless you are mobility impaired, using a cane, walker, wheelchair or scooter, or, if you’re pushing a stroller or granny-cart.

So, after having never really noticed how bad the sidewalks (of Providence, RI) were, or, how inaccessible many of the old (Brown University) buildings were, all of a sudden, I noticed!

I quickly learned as I tried to navigate the campus which sidewalks were good, which were so-so, and which were impassable. For that final group, the impassable sidewalks, I was forced into traffic – a very scary situation for me as a vulnerable, injured person.

Thank God, ten years later, I am totally fit and healthy (but for some lingering back pain) but I always notice when sidewalks are in good shape and where they are in disrepair.

I’m glad this article has been posted, not just because sidewalks are an important part of public safety for the groups I mentioned above, but because someday, nearly all of us will need good sidewalks. Hopefully most of us stay healthy and mobile, but we all age, and we all are vulnerable to disease and injury.

In terms of Livable Streets activism, I think sidewalk improvements, including proper curb cuts, are a worthy goal for safety in general, but also a really good way to broaden the appeal of our Livable Streets message -
Safe sidewalks are good for many groups at once: Parents with babies/kids, Dog owners, Disabled folks, Senior Citizens.

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