Congestion pricing = accessible transit

Archive ……. https://archive.is/ULSwP

Observations about how timed road tolls (congestion pricing) improve safety/accessibility for people in New York City.

This is written by an advocate for people with disabilities.

That’s why so many disability justice advocates have fought for the city’s congestion relief program, even as it stood against tough odds and public disapproval for years before finally becoming a reality. With the potential to reduce dangerous car traffic, speed up our paratransit and bus systems, improve air quality, and fund critical investments in long-overdue accessibility improvements, the program is a clear solution to various of our transportation system’s historic shortcomings.

Traffic injuries are down 15% and pedestrian fatalities are at historic lows. Meanwhile, New Yorkers are breathing easier from decreased levels of fine particulate matter and better air quality. All of this means safer streets, faster commutes, and cleaner air.

And the impact is felt especially among people with disabilities. Those safer streets and fewer fatalities are particularly important, as a disproportionately high percentage of car-pedestrian deaths happen to people using wheelchairs. And congestion relief’s cleaner air helps people with respiratory and cardiac disabilities who are disproportionately impacted by air pollution.

We’ve also seen critical improvements to Access-A-Ride, the MTA’s paratransit system for people with disabilities who are unable to take subways and buses. The system has been historically slow and unreliable. It’s also costly to operate — in part due to overreliance on paratransit because the subway system is only 30% accessible. Now, Access-A-Ride is moving faster within the congestion relief zone, which is critical because its riders cannot wait for lengthy subway improvements.

And let’s not forget: when we make the city more accessible for people with disabilities, we make it better for everyone. Elevators also benefit parents with strollers; curb cuts assist delivery workers with dollies; wayfinding features help tourists move around our city with ease; protective barriers make stations safer for kids; and everyone benefits from the comfort of wider doors and gates as well as the safety of smaller gaps between platforms and trains.