I would like to go on record as opposing the draft guidelines as they are now written. I am strongly against the proposed mandating of the indiscriminate installation of "chirping" audible traffic signals and unnecessary tactile barriers for the blind.

I, and my fellow blind Floridians, are among the hundreds of thousands of blind people who travel safely every day without adaptations to the existing environment. We have found that, in the vast majority of situations, the present alternative methods of navigation we use constantly are more than satisfactory. The nonvisual information which is normally available provides us full and equal access without adaptations having to be made. Modifications should be considered only when sufficient nonvisual cues are not otherwise available.

Thank you very much for your consideration of my comments.

Dan Hicks, First Vice President
National Federation of the Blind of Florida