Residential Sidewalk Snow Shoveling Ordinance Passed!

Newton passed a residential sidewalk snow clearing ordinance! It is a two year trial.  Home-owners/residents are requested to clear their abutting public sidewalks and curbcuts free of snow during the winter. Businesses are allowed 24 hours after the snow ends, residents are allowed 30 hours to clear. Lets all continue to work with Newton departments to stop the practice of dumping snow mountains on the curbcuts and crosswalks. Everyone, lets work together so Newton has safe and accessible sidewalks all year long.

Sledding at crosswalk at Waverly Ave and Stuart Rd

Sledding at crosswalk at Waverly Ave and Stuart Rd

Great Video showing snow/wheelchair users on blocked sidewalks

Cabot School Snow Mountain

Cabot School Snow Mountain
Do NOT ENTER?

Cabot School Snow Mountain Disappears!

Cabot School Snow Mountain Disappears!

Commonwealth Ave

Commonwealth Ave

Commonwealth Ave

Commonwealth Ave
Hammond St

Newton Centre

Newton Centre
Sidewalk Snow Plowing

Snow Plowing Waban

Snow Plowing Waban

Newton Corner Snow Plowing Route

Newton Corner Snow Plowing Route

Even John Kelley Shovels

Even John Kelley Shovels

Wachusett Road

Wachusett Road
Snow blocking Curbcut

Everyone Can Shovel

Everyone Can Shovel

Paws Up to Clear Sidewalks

Paws Up to Clear Sidewalks

Rain, Rain, but still there!

Rain, Rain, but still there!
Wachusett Rd/Comm Ave
Wachusett Road and Monadnock Road intersection blocked with snow stored from snowplows.

Rain and Mtns still there!

Rain and Mtns still there!
Wachusett/Comm Ave

Hammond St

Hammond St
Mass Highway Fund

Wachusett St

Wachusett St
New Sidewalk ends

Hammond St.

Hammond St.
Sidewalk

Hammond St

Hammond St
New Sidewalk

New Construction is Unacceptable!

It has rained for over 24 hours. Above photos were taken on February 24th. They show the snow mountains from city plows still blocking the public sidewalk on Wachusett Rd and Hammond Street at intersection of Commonwealth Avenue.This snow has been sitting here since the December storm.  The most disturbing elements in these photos are construction flaws of these sidewalks paid for by our public funds from Mass Highway Dept and overseen by the City of Newton Traffic and Engineering Department. Notice the sidewalks end into utility poles and stop midblock on people's lawn. A wheelchair user is unable to use any of these sidewalks, and would have no other choice but to be wheeling along with the trucks and cars in the street. Newton, this is unacceptable!

Wachusett Rd/Comm Ave

Wachusett Rd/Comm Ave
Sidewalk Blocked!

Comm Ave/Wachusett

Comm Ave/Wachusett
Snow Mtn Sidewalks

New Sidewalk

New Sidewalk

Walking and Wheeling in Traffic due to neglect of sidewalks!

Above photos with snow show the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Wachusett Road in the City of Newton taken on February 19, 2010.The crosswalks are blocked, sidewalks blocked, sidewalk newly constructed is unsafe, and family with young children, infant and stroller are forced to walk in the street due to not having a safe sidewalk to walk on.


Monday, February 15, 2010

ADA Requirements for Sidewalks

by Maryan 2/15/10: Two great videos about the US Access Board and ADA Title II law requiring for sidewalks to be cleared and snow related issues are here to review. These are produced from the "Perils For Pedestrians" video series.
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Americans with Disabilities Act and Sidewalks

This video speaks to questions about how the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act requires for all public entities (cities and towns) to take care of their sidewalks, free from obstructions.
Also mentions about the "Barton vs Sacramento" lawsuit. Obligation for city and towns to not only install curbcuts (curbramps) but also to remove barriers on sidewalks,  including removing street furniture, low hanging barriers, sidewalks raised and buckled, etc. Agreed on an annual funding formula to address barriers. Used part of cities annual transportation funding to fix sidewalks.

Watch: Snow Mtn Sidewalks "Perils for Pedestrians" Video

Watch Video

Maryland's sidewalks look like Newton's sidewalks.
They have no residential sidewalk snow clearing ordinance
and have ADA violations. Great videos above. Below, pictures
of Nancy and her service dog Giggs 
showing obstructions to accessible Newton sidewalk travel.

Careful! There is snow here!

Careful! There is snow here!
Nancy and Giggs

Sidewalk Snow Access for People who are blind/low vision

Nancy Jodoin needs to walk down the sidewalk with her service animal companion Giggs. She showed me the obstacles along the way. Her service dog is trained to not walk in the street, and to protect her from harm, of a snow bank for example. Unfortunately, with the many curbcuts filled with snow, getting onto a safe sidewalk and traveling have been  major obstacles while living in Newton.

Bike Obstruction

Bike Obstruction

Narrow sidewalk

Narrow sidewalk

Blocked Walkway!

Blocked Walkway!
Eileen shows wheelchair access blocked