[IL-Talk] FW: Article from Chicago Sun Times Metro State Section 2023 04 06

[davant1958 at gmail.com]

Hello All,

The court made a ruling yesterday regarding the Accessible Pedestrian
Signals. Please see the below article. Also, I will be on CBS 2 News tonight
at 10 since there is one near me.

 

 

From: NFB-NEWSLINE Online <publications at nfbnewsline.net> 
Sent: Thursday, April 6, 2023 6:16 PM
To: Denise Avant <davant1958 at gmail.com>
Subject: Article from Chicago Sun Times Metro State Section 2023 04 06

 

Chicago crosswalk signals violate disabilities act, federal judge rules By
Catherine Odom A federal judge has ruled Chicago violated the Americans with
Disabilities Act by failing to install signals at most crosswalks that help
people who are visually impaired navigate streets and reach their
destinations safely. U.S. District Judge Elaine Bucklo ruled Friday that the
city's lack of accessible pedestrian signals (APS) at crosswalks was
discriminatory against people who are visually impaired because it deprives
them of "meaningful access" to public benefits guaranteed by the
disabilities act. Bucklo's judgement was issued in response to a lawsuit
brought in 2019 by the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago
and several visually impaired individuals. Ann Brash, a plaintiff in the
class-action suit, said she was nearly struck by a bus while walking home
from work in 2017 because the crosswalk lacked accessible signals, according
to the complaint. Jelena Kolic, an attorney for Disability Rights Advocates
who represented the plaintiffs, said they were "thrilled that the judge
recognized that public entities need to account for blind and low-vision
pedestrians when signalizing intersections. The city's law department did
not respond to a request for comment Thursday. The suit accused the city of
upgrading crosswalks without including accessible signals, which can feature
audio recordings or tones that communicate information about the crossing's
"walk" and "don't walk" intervals. The year the suit was brought, Mayor Lori
Lightfoot had promised to install up to 100 APS-equipped crosswalk signals
to make Chicago "the most inclusive city in the nation. But as of 2021,
fewer than 1% of crosswalks in the city had the accessible signals
installed, according to justice department, which joined the plaintiffs in
the suit. "Federal law offers people with visual disabilities the promise of
full participation in community life, and safely navigating city streets is
a critical part of that," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the
justice department's Civil Rights Division said in a statement following the
decision. Colleen Wunderlich, who is blind, testified about her experiences
in this lawsuit and said she was "very pleased" but "not surprised" by the
decision. Wunderlich said crossing the street without the accessible signals
is "dangerous and unsettling," and forces her to rely on listening for
passing traffic or asking strangers for help. She said she hopes to see APS
devices at all crosswalks in the future. Janet Szlyk, president of the
Chicago Lighthouse, a social services organization for the visually
impaired, said she was "disappointed" it took a lawsuit to push the city to
prioritize accessibility. "It should be an absolute priority for the city.
Accessibility is critically important," Szlyk said. The plaintiffs and the
city have yet to reach agreement on a remedial plan. Kolic said she looks
forward to negotiating the terms with the city. "Chicago is a very walkable
city, and it should be walkable for everyone," Kolic said. "I'm hoping that
the consequence of this decision will be that the blind residents of this
city will be able to enjoy that walkability, just as the rest of us have
been able to do. 

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