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Thursday, May 22, 2014
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

BART Board of Directors Meeting
344 20th Street
Oakland, CA
94612

The next generation of BART cars MUST be accessible for people with disabilities! We have another opportunity to organize and turn out to let the BART decision makers know that barriers like the station pole must be fully discussed with the disability community. Our voices must be heard!

Your voice has power! Join us at the upcoming meeting of the BART Board of Directors.

Thursday, May 22, 2014
(Meet at 4:00 p.m. – Board Meeting starts at 5:00 p.m.)

Location
344 20th Street – Oakland, CA 94612
BART Board Room – 3rd Floor

Facebook Event Page

Accommodation notice from BART:

BART provides service/accommodations upon request to persons with disabilities and individuals who are limited English proficient who wish to address BART Board matters. A request must be made within one and five days in advance of Board/Committee meetings, depending on the service requested. Please contact the Office of the District Secretary at (510) 464-6083 for information.

Meeting Agenda Information:
http://www.bart.gov/sites/default/files/docs/notices/5-9-14%20Notice.pdf

BART “New Cars of the Future” Talking Points (from the Disability Organizing Network)

PROPOSED BART TRAIN CAR DESIGN BARRIERS/ADVOCACY TARGETS:
 
1) The assigned accessible space for wheel chairs is too small for many power chairs and scooters.
 
2) Only one wheelchair space per door (2 per car), eliminates the possibility for mobility device users to sit near each other and travel together.
 
3) The center pole does not allow people who use larger power chairs or scooters proper turning radius; it interferes with a clear path of travel for people with vision loss; additionally the pole may be a barrier during emergency evacuations for both people with disabilities and the general public.  We believe that the current pole placement may be in contradiction to the intent of current federal Dept. of Transportation regulations below:
 
§1192.57 Interior circulation, handrails and stanchions. Vertical stanchions from ceiling to floor shall not interfere with wheelchair or mobility aid user circulation and shall be kept to a minimum in the vicinity of doors.
 
We suggest dispersing the poles, or floor to ceiling stations, to the exteriors of the center area (not blocking path of travel at the doors) or attached to seats and accessible in the now larger aisles.  
 
4) The LCD informational screen does not provide equal access to low vision and blind riders: it is our understanding that audible announcement will only be made for train stops; the LCD screen has a significant glare resulting in bad contrast, making it hard to read, especially at different heights, bad contrast is an ADA Title 2 issue.
 
5) Since American Sign Language is not included in the languages provided on LCD screens for informational updates, we suggest the implementing some type of system such as text messages be put into place for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and also the Blind and visually impaired.
 
6) Seat arms, windscreen bars and vertical grab bars have been removed from this train car’s proposed design.The absence of these assistive devices make it difficult for seniors and people with disabilities needing to hoist themselves up from a seated position.  We would like to see a design that returns these devices to the train car.
 
For more information contact:
 
ILRCSF’s Community Organizer, Peter Mendoza
peter@ilrcsf.org
415-543-6222, ext. 106