Bus stops blocked with snow.

[squonk.livejournal.com]

I've just moved to the Davis Square neighborhood this year. I've seen a lot of discussion about the state of the sidewalks, but particularly upsetting to me is that when the city plows the streets, the snow is piled right in front of the bus stops. I'm blind and have balance issues, so climbing over massive snowpiles is difficult, and waiting in the street is plain unsafe (not that these things aren't difficult and unsafe for everyone!). From whenever there's a storm until the point when the snow melts, I'm essentially blocked from safely accessing the bus--which, I don't know, there must be an ADA violation in there somewhere.

I'm trying to figure out whom to talk to about this. I called the Somerville DPW a couple days ago, and they said they would call the MBTA to put in "an urgent request" to clear my stops on both sides of the street, and that I should give them "a couple of hours" to get it done. I kind of laughed at this, knowing that there was no way anything would happen within a couple hours--and indeed, nothing happened at all. Is this actually a city issue or an MBTA issue? The city is the one creating the barrier, but the MBTA, I would assume, is responsible for maintaining its stops and ensuring access to same.

Right now a lot the snow has melted, but I'd like to try to address this somehow before the next major storm. I've thought of calling the DPW again; my alderman; the MBTA general line; the MBTA disability access coordinator (or whatever their title is). I'd really rather not go around in circles, though, so I'm hoping someone here might have some more concrete ideas about where to direct my energy. (I'm also really hoping not to be told there's nothing that can be done; it doesn't seem possible that living here means that I just won't be able to safely use the bus all winter. Because seriously, I would have to move.)

Thanks so much in advance for your help, and happy holidays to those who celebrate.

Comments

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

FWIW, I know that MBTA bus stops in Cambridge are plowed by the city. (In the wee hours of the morning. There's one under my bedroom window.) So it would seem to be a city issue.

Good luck with this - I'm sorry to hear the city was unresponsive so far.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Cities are responsible for bus stop maintenance. Whoever at the DPW told you that the MBTA was responsible for it is incorrect. The MBTA is only responsible for maintaining bus stops that are on or that abut MBTA property; cities are responsible for maintaining all other bus stops.

I would contact the city disability coordinator and the Massachusetts Association for the Blind. Also the "Starts and Stops" column of the Boston Globe. Also the Somerville Journal.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

There's no longer a column, just a list of closures and detours and so forth :(.

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

There's still a column called GlobeWatch in the City Weekly section of the Sunday paper that deals with various transportation related problems and messes. (See below)

[aquaflame16.livejournal.com]

I meant to say also, to the OP: This situation sux, big time. I really hope you can get someone to listen to you and take the problem seriously. Not that you should have to. Clearly someone needs to rearrange some priorities. I realize that it takes time and energy to clear snow, but it is inexcusable for bus stops not to be accessible. Unfortunately this is not a new problem :( Maybe soon it can be an old (as in past) problem, though . . . Good luck!

[squonk.livejournal.com]

It would definitely be nice if all the bus stops were cleared so that I could theoretically, you know, get off anywhere I wanted (ooh, fancy). For the moment I'd settle for them clearing the inbound and outbound stops closest to my house. Still, it'd be great to accomplish something that as many people could benefit from as possible.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's annoying. "Starts and Stops" was one of my favorite things. I guess they thought that it was too much overlap with GlobeWatch.

[marphod.livejournal.com]

I believe it is a city thing, not an MBTA. The city is responsible for clearing the public sidewalks not in front of private property. I COULD possibly be the owners of the property, depending on frontage laws.

Regardless, good luck. I'd contact the city's office of disability affairs or whatever Somerville calls it.

(assuming you're in Somerville.)

If you're in a Cambridge area near Somerville, at least one of the members of their disability advisory board reads this community, and I'd expect her to respond soon.

[tikva.livejournal.com]

Yeah, hi, squonk and I are buds; you'll see her at dim sum tomorrow. She lives in Somerville. ;)

[etana.livejournal.com]

HEY YOU - you must know who's asses to light...? I kind of want to call the Police but I know that it's not their territory. It would just feel so nice to get some sirens or something out here. Or at least some brass. Plus once I jump on the phone I'm liable to get my giant mouth in trouble so um, yeah.

Hi. Gots some names?

[squonk.livejournal.com]

Heh, I figured marphod was probably referring to you, tikva.

I did look up the name of the chair of the city's disability advisory board, but what I've heard does not make me feel optimistic. Also, in the entire listing of chairs of disability boards by city, she appears to be the only one who does not have a phone number listed--just an e-mail and a P.O. box.

This is the kind of thing that I dread getting into because I'm so sure the effort will be ultimately fruitless--I mean, I can feel my stomach knotting already. There's only so much bureaucracy I'm capable of dealing with before I kind of shut down and need to go rock in a corner or something.

[ron_newman]

She wrote this article in the Somerville Journal a few days ago: It's not just for your safety that you should shovel.

The city's web site for the Commission for Persons with Disabilities lists a phone number:

City ADA Coordinator: Richard Tranfaglia, rtranfaglia@ci.somerville.ma.us, 617-625-6600 ext. 3310

[squonk.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[ron_newman]

Did I see you at dim sum today, or were you in a totally different group? (My group was at China Pearl at 1 pm)

[ron_newman]

I would start with a 311 request. That, plus a couple of calls to Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz, got the Day Street parking-lot sidewalk cleared.

[squonk.livejournal.com]

I thought whomever I talked to at the DPW--the person who (apparently mistakenly) told me it was the MBTA's job--was a 311 responder. (I went through some kind of menu system to get to her, though.) I can call again, and I can call my alderman, but what I'm wondering is, am I going to have to go through the same routine every time it snows? And in fact, am I going to have to wait until it snows again in order for them to even consider the issue this time? Obviously, I'd like it to be a thing where I can call BEFORE I'm trapped again, and then the stops will be cleared the next time it snows and forevermore--or for the rest of this year's season, at least. How realistic that is, I don't know, but I can't see putting myself through the bureaucratic ringer half a dozen separate times a year.

I guess I'll find out... :/

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

Call 311 (or use the city's website) You should get a tracking number, that will allow you to track the progress of your request. Also email your alderman and copy the mayor.

I also thought of the Globe "Starts and Stops" column. It's in the Sunday paper. People send in complaints of road/sidewalk/transportation issues, and the Globe figures out who is responsible for handling it, and usually gets them to take care of it.

Good luck!

Globe column

[cold-type.livejournal.com]

It's actually called Globewatch. Here's the information from the Globe's web site:

"Is something broken in your neighborhood? E-mail globewatch@globe.com. Follow up on items www.boston.com/globewatch."

In case you missed it, the Boston Globe recently ran a front-page story about some of the challenges people in wheelchairs have been having navigating the snowy sidewalks:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/12/22/icy_walkways_a_challenge_for_disabled/

Re: Globe column

[squonk.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen that--thanks for the link. And thanks for the Globewatch info as well.

[nomacmac.livejournal.com]

mistake...it's not the "Starts and Stops" column... it's GlobeWatch in the City Weekly section of the Sunday Globe.

From the Globe website:
"Got a problem? E-mail globewatch@globe.com and we'll find out who's responsible and contact the person with the power to fix it. And we'll keep on it, reporting back on what happens."

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm disappointed that they discontinued the "Starts and Stops" in July, apparently. POO!

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

I think Mac Daniel went to work for the MBTA (as spokesperson).

I'm not sure there's anyone else in the area with who could pull off what Mac did, basically being a roadgeek with journalistic chops.

[ron_newman]

Turnpike Authority, not MBTA

[somertricky.livejournal.com]

Any way you slice it, it comes up "Sleeping With the Enemy". I miss his work for the Globe. "Globe Watch" is close, but alas not quite the same animal.

[ukelele.livejournal.com]

The head of the DPW is a twit. But alderman-at-large Sullivan is very nice and responds promptly to things. Hope someone helps you out -- some of these snowpiles do really suck. (I've been lifting a stroller over them myself.)

[dylanesque29.livejournal.com]

That's pretty obnoxious, sqounk, I hope you get a response soon. Great avatar, BTW.

[squonk.livejournal.com]

:) Thanks.

[tt02144.livejournal.com]

I'd like to reiterate that it's probably a city DPW issue, and they probably won't do it unless forced to - look at how many sidewalks in front of public buildings, and curb cuts are left uncleared (and yet they want to get on the homeowner's case to shovel 'their' sidewalks!). If you have a responsive Alderman, I'd contact them, if not contact Dennis Sullivan or Bruce Desmond. They can put forth a board order declaring that all bus stops be cleared following a storm. That way, if it's not done in the future they have something in writing to fall back on. Contacting the city's Disability Coordinator can't hurt but may not be as effective as an Alderman making a public case during a meeting. Also, 311 will probably solve the problem this time, but you'd most likely need to go through the process again each time it snows. Public Awareness through the Board of Alderman is your best bet, in my opinion!
Good luck - I can relate to your problems because I have a sibling with a physical disability and it makes you realize how difficult it can be to get around and do the things others take for granted!

[squonk.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for the solid information. You appear to be quite right about the DPW. When I called a second time yesterday, they tried to claim yet again that it was an MBTA issue. When I asserted that it was not, I was told that since it wasn't snowing now, there was nothing they could do about "something that hasn't happened yet"--in other words, as you suggested, I'd simply have to call every time there was a storm. When I pointed out how ridiculous that was, and that the bus stops should simply be accessible all the time...they put me through to the ADA coordinator. Who was on vacation. (Actually, first they hung up on me. I had to call back to get put through to the ADA coordinator.) The person I left a message with sounded annoyed that I was bothering them about this.

*headdesk*

I'll scope out the info on my alderman. Thanks again.

[acechorizo.livejournal.com]

I find this so disturbing. I just do not want to accept that the city would not take responsibility for what they absolutely need to do. This is an issue that has bugged me ever since I started taking the bus to work a few years ago. The city has to realize that they set the example for the people who live here. If sidewalks, ramps, bus stops, etc. in front of public spaces are not cleared well, why on earth would anyone else feel they must? Fear of a ticket is not the way to improve the situation. Pride in doing your civic duty, in knowing that by clearing your walkways, you are making life that much better for all of your neighbors (and visitors to your city!). I know this may sound a little silly, or naive, but I really believe that if we all (residents, landlords, business owners) consider the impact of our actions we would have a much nicer place to live in. Snow clearing is just one example of how you can make lives better.

On a (sort of) related note, the Union Sq. Main Streets group is looking for nominations for business awards; one of the categories is for "Golden Shovel": http://unionsquare.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=1506673%3ATopic%3A461