City of Boston Public Sidewalks on Park Plaza Lack Access
Boston City Hall
Public Works
One City Hall Square
Boston, MA 02201
Phone: 617-635-4000
http://www.cityofboston.gov/publicworks/
Recently my mom, Ric, Tony and I traveled to the
Massachusetts Transportation Building in City Plaza located at Ten Park Plaza so I could apply for a MBTA Blind Transportation Access (TAP) CharlieCard which allow passengers who are blind/visually impaired to ride all MBTA services for FREE. We called the MBTA before we traveled here and this is where we were told to go.
We thought we were lucky because we quickly found a handicap parking space right on Park Plaza. Once we got out of our van we soon realized there was NO WHEELCHAIR ACCESS TO THE SIDEWALK any place near this handicap parking space.
I was in my manual chair so Ric pushed my chair along the side of the street. We saw a few pedestrian crosswalks but none had the curb cut-out for wheelchair access. We had no alternative except to wheel on a busy street to get to and from our parking space.
City of Boston Public Sidewalks - Lack of Access is a HUGE PROBLEM throughout the entire City of Boston. During many other visits to Boston, we have had the same problem of NO WHEELCHAIR ACCESS TO THE CITY SIDEWALKS. It is DANGEROUS, UNSAFE AND UNACCEPTABLE. The sidewalk in front of our Massachusetts State House even lacks wheelchair access. With all the money our state spent on the ‘Big Dig’ you would think they could have spent a little on wheelchair access cut outs at our city pedestrian crosswalks!
I give the City of Boston Public Works Department ZERO STARS for not placing enough wheelchair access cut-outs on the City of Boston public sidewalks. This is a dangerous situation, forcing many wheelchair-seated travelers in Boston to wheel on busy city streets.
September 1st, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Kenny, I’m in a wheelchair and I also find the lack of curb cuts at Boston city sidewalks deplorable! You are doing great work paving the way for FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS FOR ALL. Keep up the good work! Thank-You!
September 8th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I am also a wheelchair user and find the lack of adequate curb cuts in Boston inexcusable… try the Financial District sometime; it’s horrible… thanks for all your good work on this… keep fighting the good fight!
December 22nd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
Why don’t you figure out how to navigate up the curb? Get a wheel chair that can navigate up the curb, such as the Segway. Stop blaming the public for your lack of ability to navigate an obstacle is a normal occurance in streets worldwide.
It’s just a 6″ curb. Get over it!
SS