Lisi’s Route: Saturday November 21, 2009 at 10am
Two weeks ago today I posted about incomplete sidewalks on Delmar in the two blocks West of Jefferson (map).
In late 2005, due to these incomplete sidewalks, Elizabeth “Lisi” Bansen was using her manual wheelchair in the road to travel the two blocks from the store to her apartment. She was struck by a vehicle on Wednesday November 2, 2005. She died a few days later. In December 2007 I posted about the incomplete route after the City of St. Louis was found negligent in her death. Nothing happened after the 2007 post.
But two weeks ago I emailed a number of city officials a link to my post. That got the ball rolling. Later that week I did an interview with Mike Owens of NBC-affiliate KSDK (see Owens’ report). He spoke with Director of Streets Todd Waelterman who indicated the missing sidewalk and two needed curb ramps would be done by the end of the month.
I was glad to see last week the work finally getting done.
So Saturday November 21, 2009 at 10am I’m going to walk the two blocks from the store to the apartments where Lisi lived – Lisi’s Route. I’d like you to join me. The walk has two purposes; 1) remember a citizen who’s life was cut short at 40 years of age and 2) to show the community cares about complete sidewalk networks (incomplete networks don’t function). I want to celebrate the route that she never had but current residents of the same apartments can now enjoy.
New readers might be asking what the big deal is to walk a couple of blocks. For them: at age 40, I had a stroke a little less than two years ago so two blocks is a good walk for me. As a disabled person I want to fight for others who are also disabled and need sidewalks to lead an independent life. But I’m also fighting to create a walkable city for everyone — disabled or able bodied. The exurbs might be fully auto centric but I expect the core to be walkable.
If you’d like to join me as I slowly walk from the gas station at Jefferson & Delmar (map) to the apartments where she lived please meet me on the public sidewalk on Delmar next to their car wash at 10am this coming Saturday. After a few words I will start walking at 10:15am promptly. If you drive please park on Delmar — not at the gas station/market.
If you haven’t been before I suggest afterward stopping to visit the Scott Joplin House state historic site.
– Steve Patterson
Small victory, but why is there no master plan and ongoing effort to do this througthout the city? What happens if you want to go a block or two further?!
The City is working on their ADA Transition Plan. I think connecting housing to grocery stores and transit should be given a high priority. I plan to help evaluate the entire city to examine places where routes are incomplete.
This seems like small victory when viewed through the lens of adequate accessibility city-wide, but for the residents of Lisi's apartment complex (disabled or not) it is a very significant improvement.
Every major goal is achieved one small step at a time and this has value and significance for a few dozen people (at least) and that makes it worthwhile.
Thank you for your diligence, Steven, in making this happen!
I'm not discounting the progress, I'm just questioning the process. Fixing the “squeaky wheel” isn't the most -efficient way to solve any complex problem, and citywide access issues are a complex problem. The city can't be chasing the unique needs of one or a dozen individuals, they need to be fixing access for everyone, and it's obviously hasn't been a priority for the last decade, or longer. We need an inventory, we need a plan, we need real deadlines and we need funding. Unfortunately, it's one of those non-glamorous issues that won't get most politicians reelected, so, guess what, it keeps getting pushed back and all of us residents suffer because of it . . .
You attended the workshop I helped organize to show government entities the why & how of developing a transition plan. I'm suggesting determining the location of accessible housing units and routes to food & transit would be a guide to prioritize where sidewalks and curb cuts are created.
Thanks for your persistence, Steve. For Lisi, and for everyone else, able-bodied or not, who walks.