Page 12 - Sept-Oct2017 Vol35 No3
P. 12
STATEWIDE By Stephanie Cook
Beyond the Absolute Minimum
Public Works professionals have the The brand new accessible playground to illness, accident, injury or the natural
ability to change the world. That’s right, you constructed in the city’s most effects of aging. Because of this, we are all
I said that. I’ve worked in municipal popular park is the first opportunity only “temporarily able bodied” (or TABs)
government for 19 years and I’m some children with disabilities have to and we will all need access one day. Now
fascinated by how much the “everyday enjoy a playground in the same way as perhaps you see what I mean when I say
activities” of a Public Works Department their non-disabled peers. Grandparents that Public Works professionals have the
impacts, well, everything! Public are now able to take their grandkids ability to change the world.
Works personnel (in my experience) to the park because the playground is
do everything from review and approve friendly for use by all ages and abilities. When you take on a new project or
plans for a building’s construction or are given a job to do that gives you
renovation to installing new sidewalks, The elevator “dings” that you corrected an opportunity to increase access for
removing brush or snow, preparing in the courthouse—ensuring that one people with disabilities, consider who
public spaces for events, performing “ding” sounds for up and two “dings” it is you are impacting (such as those I
maintenance on public facilities, sound for down—now give the person mentioned earlier). If you understand
installing bus stop shelters, and the list who is blind an opportunity to navigate how accessibility improvements are able
goes on and on. the space without assistance. to open the world up to transportation,
employment, community involvement
Every Mayor, Council or Commission The new shopping development that and independent living for people
member and department head is fully you required to install a sidewalk as part with disabilities, then you can assist
aware of the vast array of work done of their tax credit package (or perhaps that reluctant building owner by
by a Public Works department. But I your sidewalk ordinance) has allowed understanding the impact on his
wonder if they’ve ever considered just the transit system to expand its route to business by being accessible to people
how those services personally impact this area and pedestrians now have a safe, with disabilities. After all, people with
their constituents. In my work as ADA accessible path of travel when they use disabilities make up 20 percent of his
Coordinator, I regularly hear from the bus to go shopping. customer base—look at it as one in every
people who experience barriers to the five dollars of potential profit being
built environment because they happen Perhaps this sounds like “much ado,” unable to get into his business without
to have a disability. As I help them figure but consider the number of people being good access—and that number doesn’t
out a plan of action or determine some impacted by an increasingly accessible include seniors.
alternate accessibility that they might community. Right now in the U.S., 10,000
enjoy, I am forever mindful of the work people turn age 65 every day, and this As for me, I have been a wheelchair
that has already been done to make trend will continue until 2030 (think user for 30 years and I have seen a lot of
the community more accessible and “Senior Tsunami!”). Also, we know that change in our built environment over the
welcoming to all people—and that is a there are at least 56 million Americans last three decades. And I see more and
result of the job done by Public Works who have a disability of some kind more need to make even better access
professionals. which makes them 20 percent of our because I know it impacts or will impact
population today. When we add these every one of us at some point in our lives.
The section of broken sidewalk you two populations, we have the majority So please, every chance you get to make
replaced has now reduced the distance of our country who already needs or will a project accessible beyond the absolute
required to travel to the nearest bus stop soon need a more accessible community. minimum requirements of the building
for a young man who uses a wheelchair Then there’s the “TAB issue.” Most people code or ADA Standards, take it. That’s
and takes the bus to his job. who have a disability are not born with how we change someone’s world.
that disability but incur the disability due
12 TPW September/October 2017
