Manhattan Boro President Finds Broadway Violates the ADA

The Manhattan Borough president wants to talk about where the sidewalk ends.

A new report released Tuesday from Gale Brewer's office found that less than 10 percent of the sidewalk curb cuts along Broadway meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sunday.

Starting last September, Brewer’s office went from Bowling Green to Inwood checking sidewalks against ADA requirements. They surveyed more 1,300 curb cuts checking the slope of the ramp, whether it was surfaced with truncated domes called “detectable warnings,” and how flush it was to the surface of the road.

The report found only 115 curb cuts fully complied with ADA standards.

“I know curb cuts that are way too steep and I've actually seen a wheelchair almost fall over,” said Brewer.

According the city's administrative code, property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing sidewalks and curb cuts.

The city's department of transportation is responsible for inspecting the sidewalk and then notifying property owners when and if repairs are needed. If property owners don't make repairs within 40 days of receiving the notice, the city can hire someone to make the repairs and bill the property owner for the cost.

"We’re moving aggressively to make sure our streets are safe and accessible for every New Yorker," said Wiley Norvell, a spokesman for Mayor de Blasio. "The City has now installed pedestrian ramps at 91 percent of all necessary corners, and we’re working to upgrade them to be ADA accessible."

Brewer credits the mayor's Vision Zero plan for increasing the number of accessible pedestrian signals around the city, which are wired to a pedestrian signal and can send audible messages to indicate when it is safe to cross the street.

But she also wants the city to step up inspection and enforcement of sidewalk complaints.

“Even just walking,” said Brewer, “when you leave a curb cut and go into a pot hole, I always think to myself, 'oh my goodness if I was blind or in a wheelchair,' I would be very worried.”