A few weeks ago on this blog, Felipe pointed out how incomplete streets are more than just an inconvenience for some people. For people like Lance, who rely on active transportation for exercise or just simple mobility, designing and maintaining our roads and sidewalks to accommodate everyone is the difference between being able to get to where you need to go – or not.
The U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary recently profiled the new Senior Advisor for Accessible Transportation, Richard Devylder, in his blog. Mr. Devylder is an impressive guy, someone who understand first hand why curb cuts and complete streets are critical to equal access to our transit systems. He talks about it in a number of videos on the Fast Lane blog. Meet Richard, listen to his story and reconsider what makes livable streets fundamental to a fair and just society.
Some visual aids:
Recently finished sidewalk: fine for drainage (?), terrible for people.
Not a Complete Street Sidewalk. Even the Drainage Grate is Bad Evil.
The man has to use a parking meter to pull himself up onto the sidewalk. Click for video.
And by the way, since we are celebrating birthdays, Happy 20th Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act. Plus, if you’re into disability news and pop culture, be sure to check out WheresLulu.com.
5 Responses to Complete Streets are for Everyone.
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This is so ridiculous. The people who work on these streets don’t have quality control supervisors who are to make sure that the job is done properly? My goodness.
Stuff like this is all over miami. Sidewalks littered with parking meters, poles, mailboxes, trees, drainage, etc… make them unusable for anyone in a wheelchair. I also see those high curbs all over too.
Take a walk around downtown dadeland and Sunset/Red. Both areas are not very big but you will find plenty of examples like the one’s shown above
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I think you are badly misrepresenting streets under construction. This is obviously not complete, granted it does need a temporary aspault patch to allow access to the handicap ramp. I think the real issue is the during construction phase. sidewalk closures, curb ramps, etc.
Its also a little extreme and derogitory i feel to use a man with no legs as a pawn for transit miami. Handicap takes many forms from physical, audible, and visual. Roads should be designed for everyone.
It has been a year since this post,and Miami-Dade is looking to achieve Bike Friendly City designation. Has it made a resolution to integrate complete streets yet?
Miami is looking to achieve Bicycle Friendly Designation, not Miami-Dade….the city of Miami does have a complete streets law, but it doesn’t prescribe specific street design elements..its mostly aspirational