[IABS-Talk] FW: [IL-Talk] Eliminating Blind Access Barrier on New CTA 7000 Series Rail Cars

Thu Aug 5 16:05:01 UTC 2021

FYI.

Denise Avant, ESQ

1st Vice President

National Federation of the Blind of Illinois

For more information about NFBI,

Go to www.nfbofillinois.org

From: Laurie Dittman <Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org> 
Sent: Thursday, August 5, 2021 9:41 AM
To: davant1958 at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [IL-Talk] Eliminating Blind Access Barrier on New CTA 7000
Series Rail Cars

Denise,

Please see CTA response below. I have no other information regarding this
matter.

Laurie

-----Original Message-----
From: Serpe, Amy
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 2021 11:51 AM
To: 'Kelly Pierce'
Subject: RE: Train Route Announcements

Hello Kelly:

I apologize for the delay in this response but I needed to do some checking
related to the issue you raised.

As you are aware, our Rail Operators do initiate the station/stop for a
train. When the automated system does not work, the Operator is to make a
manual announcement using a PA system to be heard outside of the train. If
this does not happen we appreciate if customers will alert us to specific
information such as which train, date, time, stop, etc., and all
complaints/concerns are investigated and handled according to CTA policies
and procedures. Retraining of Operators may also happen as needed.

At this time, our trains do not have a GPS system which is what is needed to
have the station announcements be delivered automatically, such as happens
on our buses. This is something that the CTA is looking into. There is no
date for implementation at this time but the community will be kept informed
as things develop.

Thank you again for contacting the CTA.

Kindness is the currency of humanity.

Amy J. Serpe

Manager, ADA Compliance Programs

Chicago Transit Authority

567 W. Lake Street, #10-31-08

Chicago, IL 60661

312-681-2608 (Work)

312-350-2301 (Cell & Text)

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Chicago Transit Authority.

Laurie J. Dittman

Senior Policy Analyst

Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities

121 N. LaSalle Street, #104

Chicago, IL.  60602

(312) 744-4495

(312) 744-3314 (fax)

(312) 744-4964 (tty)

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From: davant1958 at gmail.com <davant1958 at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 6:44 AM
To: Laurie Dittman <Laurie.Dittman at cityofchicago.org>
Subject: FW: [IL-Talk] Eliminating Blind Access Barrier on New CTA 7000
Series Rail Cars 

[Warning: External email]

Dear Laurie:
Please see below. Many Chicago citizens and those in the suburbs, who are
blind or low vision use CTA EL and buses. I wanted to bring this matter to
the attention of MOPD. Will these concerns be addressed? If so, what will be
the solution?
Thank you.

Denise Avant, ESQ
1st Vice President
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
For more information about NFBI,
Go to
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-----Original Message-----
From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Kelly Pierce via
IL-Talk
Sent: Sunday, August 1, 2021 5:29 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Eliminating Blind Access Barrier on New CTA 7000 Series
Rail Cars

I sent the following to  Amy J. Serpe, the  Manager, ADA Compliance Programs
for the Chicago Transit Authority on July 23. There has been no response.
With the new 7000 series rail cars, CTA could through external speakers
automatically identify different trains traveling on the same track when the
doors open and eliminate an existing accessibility barrier.

Kelly

Dear Amy,

I listened to the July 12 CTA ADA Advisory Committee meeting on the YouTube
video streaming platform.  Thank you for reading my public comment in its
entirety on pedestrian safety and electric buses.
During the meeting, the new 7000 series rail cars were discussed. The CTA
representative said 10 prototype cars are currently in service.
The new cars feature a revised audio announcement system. From what I
understand, stop announcements will occur automatically with train operators
rarely if ever needing to manually initiate announcements or make
announcements themselves. Currently, again from what I understand, train
operators on all other trains need to take action to initiate the playing of
various audio messages.

Unfortunately, the need for the manual initiation of audio messages leads to
widespread non-compliance with 49 CFR § 37.167(c) of the ADA transportation
regulations which state: "Where vehicles or other conveyances for more than
one route serve the same stop, the entity shall provide a means by which an
individual with a visual impairment or other disability can identify the
proper vehicle to enter or be identified to the vehicle operator as a person
seeking a ride on a particular route."

The CTA has multiple train routes operating on the same track during
regularly scheduled service. These include stations on the Loop elevated,
the Green and Orange Roosevelt station, and select north side stations
serving the Red, Brown, and Purple rail lines. Train operators rarely play
any announcements on external or even internal speakers identifying the
train route when a person with a long, white cane is standing on the rail
platform. The new automated announcement system can eliminate this
accessibility barrier if the system is programmed to use external speakers
to announce the train route at stations serving multiple routes. While the
representative said the prototype cars play a unique door opening sound,
this audio information is not sufficient at many rail stations for a blind
person to decide independently to board the train because trains on the same
track are going different directions. I urge CTA modify the new stop
announcement system on the 7000 series rail cars so blind passengers can
identify the routes of different trains when they are traveling on the same
track.

Kelly Pierce
Chicago, IL

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