mark handler
SAWHORSE
No excuses, Leominster, make sidewalk handicapped-accessible
Sentinel & Enterprisesenlandenterprise.com
07/20/2012
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/letters/ci_21118322/no-excuses-leominster-make-sidewalk-handicapped-accessible
It has come to my attention that Leominster is the latest city to ignore the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has been on the books for many years, and it should know better. I was driving past Whitney Carriage House apartments up to Mechanic Street and noticed that the sidewalks that were put in last year do not comply with the ADA.
As a matter of fact, a friend of mine who is in a wheelchair tried to navigate her way down to Fallon Clinic, but had to go out on the street because she could not get her wheelchair up the curb because of a rise of about 3 inches at the intersection.
The excuse that the DPW and the mayor's office are using is that they are waiting for additional funds to finish the paving along that area. The paving stopped several months ago, and it didn't look to me as if they were scheduling any more work to be done.
At any rate, there really is no excuse for not making the sidewalks compliant with the ADA laws. It is particularly disturbing since that area of road bypasses a child who is handicapped and permanently in a wheelchair.
There is a new apartment complex that is going to be low income and no doubt there will be disabled people moving in, and just down the road on Spruce Street is senior housing with a number of disabled people residing there.
The city of Leominster ought to stop making excuses and fix the problem before someone who has a mobility problem gets hurt.
KAREN BUCKLEY
Sentinel & Enterprisesenlandenterprise.com
07/20/2012
http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/letters/ci_21118322/no-excuses-leominster-make-sidewalk-handicapped-accessible
It has come to my attention that Leominster is the latest city to ignore the Americans with Disabilities Act, which has been on the books for many years, and it should know better. I was driving past Whitney Carriage House apartments up to Mechanic Street and noticed that the sidewalks that were put in last year do not comply with the ADA.
As a matter of fact, a friend of mine who is in a wheelchair tried to navigate her way down to Fallon Clinic, but had to go out on the street because she could not get her wheelchair up the curb because of a rise of about 3 inches at the intersection.
The excuse that the DPW and the mayor's office are using is that they are waiting for additional funds to finish the paving along that area. The paving stopped several months ago, and it didn't look to me as if they were scheduling any more work to be done.
At any rate, there really is no excuse for not making the sidewalks compliant with the ADA laws. It is particularly disturbing since that area of road bypasses a child who is handicapped and permanently in a wheelchair.
There is a new apartment complex that is going to be low income and no doubt there will be disabled people moving in, and just down the road on Spruce Street is senior housing with a number of disabled people residing there.
The city of Leominster ought to stop making excuses and fix the problem before someone who has a mobility problem gets hurt.
KAREN BUCKLEY