Description

There is a large electronic traffic sign completely blocking the sidewalk on the east side of N Boulevard just south of the I-95 bridge, next to Parker Field Annex. This sign informs people that the on-ramp to I-95 will be closed for a few days for construction, starting two weeks from now, meaning it will be here for weeks. This means that for weeks it will be dangerous to walk on Boulevard, a busy street with 20,000 vehicles per day including many trucks, as many people will not be able to pass, having to squeeze in between the sign and the tree, and those with strollers or in wheelchairs will be forced to use the street, as there is a fence between the sidewalk and the property line.

This problem can be solved incredibly easily. Just put the sign in the median. The sign should fit there, right in front of the landscaping, as the median is larger than the entire sidewalk and won't block any people walking because there is nowhere to legally walk to get there. Or move it to the median at the light where the on-ramp is. Or move it to the on-ramp itself: there is a large shoulder on the right side of the on-ramp, as well as a very large grassy area, that should fit the sign no problem, and has the advantage that people entering I-95 N will see it regardless as to whether they come from southbound or northbound Boulevard. And, or course, it won't put people's lives in danger!

However, this is part of a larger trend of dangerous blocking of sidewalks in the city, which is both legally and morally troubling. This dangerous situation is in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. As well, as the city repeatedly degrades sidewalk space for people walking, making it dangerous or impossible to pass, while maintaining space for people driving, and given the demographic makeup of people who walk and people who drive, this could open up the city to lawsuits under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., as well as 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

So could I just ask the city to stop blocking sidewalks, so that people have a safe space to walk? City Council has already passed Resolution 2018-R025 to try to ensure people can safely use city sidewalks or alternate protected walking areas. Whenever anyone does any work in the city, they should ask "Is this going to block access for people walking, including those with wheelchairs or strollers or other modes of transportation, that are unsafe on that street?" And if the answer is "yes", they should consider an alternative that won't put people's lives in danger. This is the least we can do.