Somerville Voices

This week’s Somerville Journal includes an Op-Ed regarding our rights as voters. Voting is a fun community activity, and no voters should be steered to vote absentee-unless they prefer it that way (or will be out of town on the 4th). Here are 2 photos showing a polling site that was entirely inaccessible (right at the entrance), for wheelchair using voters of Ward 7, Precinct 2, during the Primary, September 16, 2008:

Either that or I am getting behind…not sure which. Fred Berman and Bill Bumpus have three more programs of interest to S’Villans. First: Disabilities with guest Eileen Feldman, 2′nd: The History and Community Importance of Community Television with guest Wendy Blom. Exec. Dir. of SCAT and 3′rd: All about Green Jobs with guests Mary Jo Connelly and Laurie Leyshon. Check out their Video Blog to watch these and other Progressive Voices Programs. Progressive Voices… Mondays at 6pm on Somerville Community Access Television. Ch.3 on both the Comcast and RCN cable systems in Somerville.

In the first week of May 2008, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone placed a “Welcome Desk” in the foyer of City Hall that utterly disregards MA Access Building Code. [snip] It seems that yesterday’s design standards are as tenacious as yesterday’s attitudes, even today: the 18th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

I certainly agree with Barry’s post of 7/15/08 in this SomervilleVoices blog entitled, “City’s Commission Staffing Plan Hurts Human Services.” Three questions seem particularly germane to this issue: 1. Are Somerville’s municipal resources distributed equally and fairly to all residents? 2. Are all residents offered equal participation within public programs, without regard to differences in age, income, birth culture, abilities, religions, race, gender, job status, or city address? 3. Do certain Somerville residents experience social and economic inequities that would support the fuller engagement and investigation of the specialized Human Rights Commissions?

If a municipality’s Bus stops are unreachable and inaccessible, due to badly built street facilities, then its residents are restricted from accessing public transportation systems, etc..For some individuals, the challenges created by these issues cause them to be nearly or fully housebound.
Do you think such quality of life issues should continue to be put off until “tomorrow?” …

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is gathering public input for a study of emerging issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Information gathered will be used in the development of NCD’s next annual progress report to the President and Congress, “National Disability Policy: A Progress Report,” which is required by Section 401(b) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Today, 2 residents from the Community Access Project of Somerville (CAPS) took their digital levels and measuring tapes and perambulated down Holland Street. We checked both sides of the sidewalk, from Winter Street to the Traffic and Parking Building (133 Holland St.) and then went back to Davis Square via the other side

So, you are a blind pedestrian at Weston and Broadway and you need to cross after getting off the bus. Because there is no curbcut on the bus stop side of Weston to cross to Dickson, you cross Weston to the corner pictured below. You rely on the tactile strips to guide you straight into the crosswalk and to the curbcut exactly opposite. Now, here: how many steps will it take before you’re a smashed pumpkin at rush hour?

The Pedestrian Signal post at the raised island mid-crossing in Union Square, at Somerville and Washington Street is inaccessible to wheelchair-mobile pedestrians. The pedestrian-activated button is at least seven feet - 84 inches- away from the wheelchair pedestrian’s hand!

The Milk Row Cemetery is a Historic Preservation Commission project, and its improvements triggered sidewalk accessibility improvements by 2005. Below is the copy of the complaint I submitted today. This is at least the third time this issue has been brought to the attention of the City ADA Coordinator in the past year.

On Friday, June 6, 2008, the Union Square Citizen’s Bank began breaking up the large platform front step that has been dividing this Bank and its services from people with mobility restrictions. Barack Obama won the nomination in 16 months. This access project for just one public accommodation has taken over 18 months already…

In the ordinary course of business, one notices accessible route problems throughout Union Square’s Somerville Reconstruction Project area. During construction, it is very important for the City to maintain continuous, unobstructed, level and safe sidewalks, as well as safe curbcuts and walkways for everyone.