Public transit agencies around the country have made a lot of progress in providing access for people with disabilities, but there is a lot of work left to ensure to the full freedoms of mobility.
The letter of the Americans With Disabilities Act law isn't always enough to appreciate the necessity of mobility and equal access for people with disabilities, say advocates as the historic law's anniversary approaches.
Matt Alderton writes for The Washington Post:
President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. As the legislation’s 30th birthday nears, advocates say the increased mobility of Americans with disabilities is evidence that it was the right thing to do. That gaps persist, however, is a reminder that work remains.
The scale of the need is greater than many able bodied people recognize. "Nearly 25 million people have a travel-limiting disability, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, which says 1 percent of all Americans — about 3.6 million people — are homebound because of a disability."
The article focuses mostly on the access to transportation required in the law, but those interested in more reading should also see in-depth coverage of the Curb-Cut Effect—a documented effect of multiple benefits from ADA improvements in the public realm.
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