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

Fri Apr 7 14:35:30 UTC 2023

God bless you Denise, you made the 10:00 news worth watching. Excellent job. Happy Easter holidays to all. Love and blessings. Gina Falvo

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 7, 2023, at 9:15 AM, Mary lou Grunwald via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> I saw the news clip on channel 2 last night. Denise, you did an awesome job representing us and our views.
> Thanks so much!
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On 6 Apr 2023, at 6:47 PM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 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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