ePolicyWorks Transportation Online Dialogues Search Ideas

Bus stops placed where there is NO accessibility for wheelchairs put the wheelchair user in TRAFFIC and is VERY Dangerous to the wheelchair user. Such as: a curb does not allow the wheelchair user to be on the walk or grass as ambulatory persons are able to do. Thus leaving the wheelchair user in the Street. Including persons like myself in a power wheelchair with my SERVICE DOG. Now we are BOTH at Risk. To top it off,... more »

I support emphasis on pedestrian access throughout the planning, engineering and construction process. When considering bicycles, planners and engineers need to more carefully consider the interaction of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Some current designs for shared use paths, separated bike lanes at street or sidewalk level and shared streets result in conflicts and 'close calls', as well as confusion about priority,... more »

Pedestrian call buttons for accessible and other pedestrian signals must be located in readily accessible and easy to find locations. If pedestrians must leave the straight line of travel to locate and activate a call signal they may lose their orientation to a straight line of travel. Pedestrian signal call buttons must be placed in such a way that they are easily accessible to travelers using a variety of mobility devices.... more »

Separated bicycle lanes at sidewalk level are especially dangerous for pedestrians who are disabled. Design guidance for such facilities should include a standard tactile delineator between the bicycle lane and the pedestrians way that is highly detectable to pedestrians who are vision disabled, that discourages cyclists from intruding into the pedestrian way, but that is negotiable by pedestrians having mobility disabilities.... more »

I'm pleased to see the DOT placing more emphasis on accessibility and developing this framework. It is extremely important to get all offices of the DOT on board and speaking the same language regarding accessibility issues. I hope there will be training at all levels, for those in district offices as well as various regional offices. At times information from DOT and FHWA has seemed to support new infrastructure and... more »

Fully Adopting the PROWAG (the 2011 Proposed Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way) into the MUCTD, DOT, FHWA, and State DOT regulations will provide the framework for establishing requirements that address this goal:

Pedestrians: Consider pedestrian access throughout the transportation planning, engineering, and construction process. This includes roadside infrastructure, grade separated paths,... more »

Transit is morphing towards intermodal linked trips, where frequent fixed route (Bus & Rail) connects intense land uses. Suburban residential and office/industrial parks will be connected to transit hubs with less-frequent transit/shuttle routes and demand-responsive services booked using apps and call centers. Transit hubs are designed for easy, safe and quick transfers between fixed route transit, the demand response... more »

We call on DOT to challenge the Airlines and OEM's to provide access to passengers with disabilities that is barrier free. To often passenger with disabilities have incurred bodily harm from being dropped while making transfers out of their personal wheelchairs onto an airline boarding aisle chair, or mishandled by ill trained staff in boarding the plane. Furthermore there are times when the passengers wheelchair or assistive... more »

I think that the plan set forth has a lot of good ideas and things that should be considered when deciding upon transportation options for people with disabilities and interested parties.

According to the latest Census data, disabled people represent 25% if the US population (61,000,000). All of these people feel entitled to a disabled person's parking permit. However, the ADA requires only 2% of all parking spaces to be accessible. This proportion was arrived at via U.S. Access Board research relying on standards for qualification for disabled parking permits issued by DOT under 23 CFR Part 1235, which... more »

We need to look at ways to have community members be more involved in pooling the activities of transportation. We need a way to enter accessible vehicles with an inventory of community pooling fleets. With a program to financially benefit participants, we need to use technology to show routes available to people with disabilities based on routes taken by community members. We have a lot of vehicles around the marketplace... more »

Not everyone has access to or the income to afford a cellphone, iPhone or the internet, yet we all need access to transportation. Please make this system so that everyone somehow can get the support we need, even without electronic connections.

There are few purpose-built accessible bike, bikeshare and scooters options available, and parts for modification can be difficult to find (for example, crank shorteners for people with limited range of motion, larger pedals or single-handed brakes). Accessible bikes, including trikes, tandems and side-by-sides, hand cycles, accessible scooters, and adaptive parts can be expensive for private purchase. USDOT could develop... more »

Continue to explore the experience of travelers with disabilities and identify barriers by updating a 2002 Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) study. The study identified if and how people travel, problems they experience, and levels of satisfaction with transportation. An update of the 2002 BTS study could identify and prioritize removal of barriers to mobility that could be addressed by the state and local governments,... more »

USDOT should encourage state DOTs and transit agencies partnering with or hosting AV testing or deployment to respond to the community's needs, particularly those in the disability community, low income, and communities of color, in rural and tribal areas that are often underserved. Agencies must engage these communities to identify problems and solutions, acknowledge the wealth of knowledge derived from experience, and... more »