Navigating Fresno is a bumpy ride for disabled
I call your attention to a serious problem for handicapped people in Fresno. The yellow bumpy approaches to businesses and streets must be revised to make them safe for walkers and wheelchairs.
My husband uses a walker. I must hold him upright and simultaneously guide the walker over the bumps while he shakes all across these hazards. Since I also rely on a cane or walker, I foresee one or both of us falling and breaking bones. Apparently the bumps are intended to alert blind people to surface changes but I believe they could be adapted to accommodate both the blind and disabled.
The city could shave a row or two of bumps alternately to give wheels a smooth track between them (impossible as they are now) or resurface enough to allow wheels access. When we attend Purple Heart meetings downtown, we can’t even get onto the street before the walk light changes to don’t walk.
Doesn’t the Americans with Disabilities Act require the city to accommodate everyone? I sent a letter about this to the Fresno City Council on June 13, asking for a reply, but I have been ignored.
Elaine Costello, Fresno
This story was originally published October 13, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Navigating Fresno is a bumpy ride for disabled."