Barbara Pierce

September 20, 2002

I write in strong opposition to the Access Boards plan to impose tactile strips at every intersection and audible signals everywhere that traffic lights exist. I live in a small town, and no intersection is busy or complex enough to require such intervention. Some intersections do, but those communities should work with the blind people who actually cross those streets to determine how to equip them constructively.

As it stands, with your proposed system municipalities will be required to install expensive systems that annoy everybody and sometimes are dangerous to pedestrians, including blind ones. Blind pedestrians will not be well served by this requirement as it stands. The minority report submitted by the NFB members of the PROWAAC reflects my views and those of the most active blind travelers in the nation. Remember that many of the folks who claim that they need such access tools will still not travel independently after they are installed. These folks can't travel safely, and throwing money away equipping intersections with dangerous strips of bumps and noisy APSs will not touch the actual problem they live with-their lack of skill and confidence.

Barbara Pierce,
President, National Federation of the Blind of Ohio