Mayor Duffy's Snowy Sidewalk Tour

On February 7, 2007 the lobby of the Center for Disability Rights was the gathering place for Mayor Duffy and other City officials, disability advocates and the local media. Everyone was assembled for the fulfillment of a promise made by Mayor Robert Duffy to travel snowy sidewalks by wheelchair. A cadre of disability rights advocates were in attendance: Anita Cameron, RCIL Systems Advocate, Debbie Bonomo, CDR Advocate, and Chris Hilderbrant, Director of Advocacy. Mayor Duffy also brought his Commissioner of Environmental Services, Paul Holahan, to experience the snow covered sidewalks in a wheelchair.

The day was sunny, bright and bitterly cold: an entourage of about two dozen people traveled out of the CDR parking lot using the sidewalks along State Street, turning alongside Jay Street and traveling up to Plymouth Avenue. CDR's sidewalks have been impeccably maintained by Jose Ramos, our building maintenance man, but still proved to be a challenge for Mayor Duffy and Commissioner Holahan. Mayor Duffy bumped his chair into a snow bank off the sidewalk and struggled to get back on the sidewalk. Commissioner Holahan wheeled too close to a curb cut and nearly rolled down the ramp into the street. These initial challenges were overcome and the group moved on to the real challenge - sidewalks that are not cleared. As the group left CDR's property, it immediately encountered sidewalks with nearly two inches of packed snow and ice. Chris led the group and was able to cross the snow/ice pack, but only by going very slowly and with substantial problems. Eventually, the Mayor was able to navigate across the snow with a great deal of effort. Commissioner Holahan was stuck and used his heels to dig into the snow and pull himself along… yes, he cheated.

Having navigated the first stretch of about 20 feet of snowy sidewalk, the group descended from the sidewalk to the alleyway by using the driveway of the collision shop. The curb cut was buried under too much snow. The mayor was then stopped by the members of the press that were following along. Every local TV Channel along with news radio and the newspaper were present. Mayor Duffy told the media how incredibly difficult that short stretch of relatively clear sidewalk had been. He expressed that it was an experience that everyone should have. The group then started wheeling again. Unfortunately, the curb to get onto the next stretch of sidewalk was buried under 8-12 inches of snow. So, as any wheeler must do in times like these, it was time to wheel along the busy street!

After a half-block, the group came to the next intersection. The City officials were cold, wet, tired and frustrated by the snow, but had learned a great deal in this short trip. Members of the media were extremely nervous to be filming in the street. Advocates explained that if you feel nervous being in the street as a group of 20+ people in broad daylight, imagine being a lone wheelchair user after dark in a snow storm. A mini-press conference was held in the street with the mayor restating how incredibly challenging and enlightening the experience had been.

Anita Cameron shared the challenges she faces everyday being a manual wheelchair user in the snowy streets and sidewalks of Rochester. She stated that she has to go down St. Paul Street to catch the bus, and prays every morning that she will not be run over. Angry drivers who honk and curse are a daily experience. She challenged the Mayor and Commissioner Holahan to find solutions to make the sidewalks accessible for people who use wheelchairs. Mayor Duffy and Commissioner Holahan acknowledged these problems and committed the City of Rochester to work with CDR and RCIL to find ways to improve the current situation. Mayor Duffy thanked everyone again for the learning opportunity. Through this process, City Hall learned many things, some expected and some not:

•   Sidewalks may be flat and smooth, but are not always level. While the sidewalk       in front of CDR was very clear, having been regularly shoveled and salted, it has       a slight incline toward the street. Needing to push with one hand and steer uphill       proved an unexpected challenge for Mayor Duffy and Commissioner Holahan. •   Private business owners may not plow sidewalks. The trip had barely started       when we encountered impassible sidewalks with 8-12 inches of compacted       snow and ice. •   Sidewalks plowed to a 1-2 inch level of even snow are difficult to travel.       Wheelchairs do not get enough traction to move through what most consider a       passable amount of snow. Wheels sink and get stuck. Power wheelchairs have       no better success and face other issues, such as lower ground clearance and wet       battery terminals. •   Wheeling through snow and ice is physically demanding. A great deal of strength       is required to move through this terrain. The Mayor expressed surprise at how much       upper body strength is required to navigate while using a wheelchair. •   Accessible ramps disappear in the winter. Commissioner Holahan found that the       places he expected to be able to travel (curb cuts) were frozen solid with ice and       snow. Other traps included hidden catch basins, frozen ice lumps, divots in iced       surfaces, etc. •   The best place to travel by wheelchair - the street - is the most dangerous.       Our advocates explained to the media that many people do not have the same level of       strength and fitness that the Mayor has. Many people with disabilities find that the only       consistently plowed and salted surface for travel is the road. While this is dangerous,       returning to sidewalks which have not been properly shoveled and salted will only       result in people with disabilities getting stuck, tipping over or becoming stranded.

Thanks to Monroe Wheelchair for providing the wheelchairs for Mayor Duffy and Commissioner Holahan… none the worse for wear, but covered in salt! And thanks to Jose for keeping the sidewalks in and around CDR clean, safe and accessible.