Help Shape San Francisco’s Accessible Future
Alice Wong
When I first moved to San Francisco over 25 years ago for grad school, I was excited yet intimidated. This iconic city was challenging geographically for me as a power wheelchair user, but I knew I would be able to get around independently without a car compared to the Midwest where I was born and raised. I learned the city isn’t composed of all steep hills and how I had the good fortune to live in a community with one of the most accessible transportation systems in the country.
For nearly 50 years and before the ADA, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) has made significant progress in improving accessibility across our 49-square-mile city, building on the decades of advocacy by disability rights activists. Together, planners, advocates, and community leaders continue to collaborate to ensure that the one-in-four San Franciscans who identify as seniors or disabled people have access to consistent, safe and affordable transportation, whether it’s via bus, light rail, or paratransit.
The SFMTA has recently focused on creating its first Accessibility Strategy Needs Assessment, with the aim to better understand the current state of our city’s transportation system and what remains to be done.
The Needs Assessment identified hundreds of ways the SFMTA can continue to enhance our transportation system with a focus on accessibility. The agency has worked to ensure consistent enhancements on street projects by developing more comprehensive guidelines and simplifying accessibility planning. Through its Quick-Build program, the SFMTA has implemented flexible, responsive safety improvements and has ensured that cycling and scooter programs are adapted for people with disabilities and seniors.
Additional highlights from the assessment include accessibility improvements on Muni, the backbone of San Francisco’s transit system. Collaborations between the SFMTA and riders with disabilities have resulted in new features on buses and trains, including improved ramps, braille and raise-letter bus identification numbers and service planning to ensure accessibility while addressing issues such as crowding, reliability and stop spacing. As Muni ridership reaches levels unseen since 2020, it’s more critical than ever to adapt our transportation system to meet the needs of all riders.
Now, the SFMTA is asking what matters the most to our community.
With the mission of creating a transportation network accessible to everyone, the SFMTA invites any senior or disabled person to participate in prioritizing which needs should be addressed over the next five years by taking the Accessibility Transportation Needs Assessment and Survey.
The survey takes less than three minutes to complete and is available in multiple languages to ensure all voices are heard and all ideas for improvement are shared. Surveys can be taken online or by calling 311 or 415-701-2311.
Please note: this is a sponsored post
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