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

[Robert Hansen]

And you know what The public is learning something. And I'm really glad
that this stuff is finally entering on to mainstream media.

Robert Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com


On Fri, Apr 7, 2023, 9:16 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.
> >
> > This article is provided to you as a courtesy of NFB-NEWSLINE??? Online
> for
> > your sole use. The content of this E-mail is protected under copyright
> law,
> > and is not to be distributed in any manner to others; infringement of our
> > non-dissemination agreement is strictly prohibited. Allowing someone to
> have
> > access to this material is in violation of the Terms of Use agreement
> that
> > you electronically signed when you signed up for NFB-NEWSLINE??? Online.
> > Please do not forward this E-mail or its attachments to any other person
> or
> > disseminate it in any manner. Thank you. The NFB-NEWSLINE??? Team.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > IL-Talk mailing list
> > IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/marylougrunwald%40gmail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> IL-Talk mailing list
> IL-Talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/il-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> IL-Talk:
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/il-talk_nfbnet.org/hansen.robert70%40gmail.com
>