Sally Benjamin

October 4, 2002

Dear Access Board:

Not everyone with vision loss walks out of their home with perfect
mobility skills. I have pretty good mobility skills but I have a hearing loss and sometimes it is very very hard to tell where cars are and where to go.

If an intersection warrants a "walk" and "don't walk" signage for those
who are sighted, people who are blind should expect that same information, through Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS).

All people should receive information warning them that they are
approaching a potentially dangerous situation. Detectable Warnings, at that important moment, give the blind traveler the cue to stop and take notice of where they are. Sighted people see the street approaching, regardless if the curb is nearly flush to the street. They see the end of a platform approaching and so know to stop before falling onto train tracks, etc. Detectable Warnings aren't a nicety, they're a necessity!

People who are blind often travel in new surroundings. Therefore, a
variety of Way Finding tools should be used to assist blind persons in
negotiating their environment.

That way a blind person will always know they can go to any place and find their way around.

I urge you to remember that we are all different and need different ways to get around. Therefore please consider using Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS) in as many places as possible.

Sincerely,
Sally Benjamin