From: sojacobson@mmm.com
Subject: Re: NYC new crossing scheme
I am not a New Yorker, but Minneapolis just considered doing something 
along these lines.  There was a move to reroute city busses to make 
bikers happy.  What is similar about both of these is that I don't see 
how they are actually "blindness" issues.  There is no doubt that we are 
inconvenienced, though, I am not arguing against that.  However, in a 
city that has as many pedestrians as I have heard they do, there should 
be other groups upset with this with which we could work to opose this.  
It seems like another case of the automobile being given preference over 
mass-transit or walkers.  
> New York Ciy has come up with the brilliant idea of closing the
> intersection to pedestrians on the side of the street where cars
> will be turning.  They have a lot of one-way streets and avenues
> so they can do this.
> 
> The disadvantage for blind people is to get to a store across the
> avenue, you may have to cross the street three times, and if you
> walt along a busy street, need to alternate which side of the
> street you walk on to get where you are going efficiently.
> 
> Do we have any New Yorkers on here?  What do you think of this
> scheme on 49th and 50th streets between I think it is 6th and
> madison?
> 
> The idea is to speed up car traffic, but I think in NYC traffic,
> people would be best advised to take a cab or the train.
> 
> Your comments are welcome.
> 
> Brian
> 
> 
> 
--
          Steve Jacobson
          National Federation of the Blind
          3M Company 
          E-mail:  SOJACOBSON@MMM.COM
The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the 3M Company.
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