'Open Streets' Have an Accessibility Problem

Although the "open streets" movement brought a new sense of freedom to many pedestrians, people with disabilities have found themselves running up against a new set of obstacles. According to Peneliope Richards, a writer with cerebral palsy, "[p]lenty of outdoor dining setups act as sidewalk obstacle courses." As John Surico reports in Bloomberg CityLab, "[n]avigating commercial stretches packed of streateries, parklets and other Covid adaptations has often exacerbated the existing challenges faced by wheelchair users and others with mobility impairments."

While parklets and outdoor seating programs were designed to provide more public space, "as many of these street changes are being made permanent, advocates are fighting to ensure that that space is expanded equitably." Eman Rimawi, an organizer for New York Lawyers for the Public Interest, says cities should be more proactive in enforcing ADA compliance and figuring out where parklets and outdoor seating can go without posing accessibility problems. "On streets with extensive outdoor dining — now made permanent by City Hall — planners should analyze where sidewalks can safely be expanded. The parking-spot parklets, she said, open up the possibility of converting even more street space to pedestrian usage," creating more public space without crowding the city's sidewalks. 

Ensuring accessibility also helps increase visibility for people of all abilities, says Alan Benson, a wheelchair user in London. Inclusion, he says "means allowing everyone to participate in urban society, so everyone else notices."