METRO is currently accepting public input on its draft long-range plan METRONext Moving Forward. While the transit agency is holding a series of public meetings, we at LINK Houston wanted to address METRO’s full Board of Directors about a key component of METRONext: universal accessibility – the ability of people of all ages, sizes, and abilities to navigate and use all aspects of a service. So, on January 24, 2019 we gathered a group of advocates and members of the disability community to acknowledge METRO’s commitment to universal accessibility. We also urged the transit agency to incorporate these improvements into current operations and METRONext Moving Forward:
- Detailed information about modifications to sidewalks, streets, and bus stops, in collaboration with other stakeholders, so transit is accessible and navigable for all persons;
- Equipping bus shelters to sufficiently cover and protect riders in inclement weather – especially people who use wheelchairs;
- Expanding ADA training for all operators and certifying proficiency in the facilitation of on- and off-boarding with mechanized ramps, securing riders and their equipment, and standardized procedures for managing incidents involving riders with a disability and those who accompany them;
- Increasing involvement of riders with a disability in community task forces to plan and implement bus, light rail, and METROLift service improvements; and
- Ensuring full compatibility of METRO’s public-facing information with assistive technologies, including web content and fully accessible PDF documents.
With your help we can continue to push for these improvements to be incorporated into METRO’s current operations and any future plans. Please attend an upcoming METRONext public meeting, scheduled through February 13, or sign up to speak at the next Board Meeting. Contact us at LINK Houston if you wish to go over your remarks or get data for your talking points.
