Group holds rally calling for more transit access for the disabled

A group of people rallied Thursday in Oakland, saying that adding bike lanes and the bus rapid transit line in Pittsburgh is hurting people with disabilities.

They’re asking the city to better plan bike lanes and the bus rapid transit system because they say those two things are making it really hard for people with disabilities to navigate the city.

The group calls itself Accessible Pittsburgh and it wants the city to take notice of its needs.

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"Bike lanes have an adverse effect on people with disabilities, the way they've been implemented as of today's date,” said DJ Stemmler.

Stemmler says the group supports bicyclists, but the bike lanes being installed in more city neighborhoods are cutting off access to sidewalk ramps and handicap parking for people with disabilities.

"In this particular block, nine handicap spaces were removed overnight and they weren't reassigned anywhere else,” Stemmler said.

The other major problem, the group says, is the Bus Rapid Transit Project that will go from Oakland to Downtown.

Jeffry Parker lives in Oakland and says, right now, Pittsburgh has a very accessible bus and paratransit system.

"My concern is that the bus rapid transit project, the BRT project, is going to take something that's very accessible and make it a lot harder to use by people with disabilities, and seniors as well,” Parker said.

The group says it's in constant conversation with city leaders but that's not helping much.

“we don't feel like this city of Pittsburgh is looking at that impact before they implement the program," Stemmler said.

Cox Media Group