"A group of local disability advocates is making headway on a lawsuit against the City of New York that claims the city's Open Streets program violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Federal Judge Eric Komitee will hear oral arguments on Thursday from the plaintiffs, many of whom are members of the ADA-advocacy group Access for All, and the defendants, including the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and other third-party groups."
"The plaintiffs claim that Open Streets does not provide equal mobility access to public streets. Some members of Access for All have called the program, which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way for locked-down New Yorkers to enjoy open-air space, ableist, ageist and elitist, as it uses barriers and other heavy steel barricades that people with mobility issues can not lift or operate in order to enter the open-space area."
"A 2022 DOT study, conducted with Bloomberg Philanthropies, found that during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants and bars on Open Streets saw their sales grow by an average of 19% above pre-pandemic baseline levels, while those on control corridors saw a 29% dip in sales. Open Streets are found in all five boroughs. Their hours of operation vary."
Local disability advocates filed a lawsuit alleging New York City's Open Streets program violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by denying equal mobility access. The suit was filed April 24, 2023 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and names the NYC Department of Transportation and other parties as defendants. Federal Judge Eric Komitee will hear oral arguments Thursday. Plaintiffs, including members of Access for All, assert that heavy steel and concrete barriers block entry for people with mobility impairments. The DOT declined comment due to pending litigation but previously cited economic benefits for nearby businesses.
Read at www.amny.com
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