Strange

Construction woes for Vancouver wheelchair users

by Martha Jones | December 5, 2007 at 04:39 pm

649 views | 2 Recommendations | 2 comments

This article by UBC journalism student Stephanie Lim neatly sums up the issues faced by wheelchair users in Vancouver dealing with the consequences of the many road construction projects around the city.

Point Grey resident Lori Kemp knows firsthand the problem of crossing sidewalks during roadside construction. She nearly toppled over a temporary construction ramp on West Broadway between Larch and Alma.

The city of Vancouver began the West Broadway Street Renewal project to repair broken sidewalks caused by aging tree-roots along this street on January 8, 2007.

Plans are to widen curbs for wheelchair access and to add groove lines for the visually impaired by the end of this year. This process to redo and upgrade sidewalks is making it difficult for wheelchair users like Kemp to move around.

It's great that streets are being upgraded - sometimes slowly - but with a number of projects throughout the city in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics, you have to wonder whether the situation may get worse before it gets better.

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Rob Peters

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 20:58 on December 5th, 2007

Good find Martha Jones. I feel like I know you from somewhere.

Farrel (not verified)

at 12:18 on October 15th, 2008

I'm working on a project that will help wheelchair users use the web and mobile devices to avoid construcion areas and provide information to others about their favorite (or least favorite) facilities.

If you are interested in giving me feedback as to how to best go about this, drop me a line at farreljealousy@yahoo.ca and I'll include you in the conversation.

I'd really appreciate your involvement.

Thanks!