Dick Hartley

October 16, 2002

The currently proposed regulations requiring audible and tactile warnings for all intersections controlled by traffic lights is too costly and unnecessary. With no new monies to pay for these items, the costs will need to be borne within existing programs. With diminishing revenues among state and local governments requiring these modifications will cause harm to other programs seeking to increase integration of blind and visually impaired persons into their communities. Conceivably lack of these signals could result in blind people not being hired for some jobs as the worksite may not be in an area that is perceived to be safe for them to travel in. Within an already unacceptable unemployment rate of more than 75% this poses an unwarranted discrimination against the population the regulations purports to enable.

Monies spent on improving mass transit and training programs that will hire disabled workers will have far greater effect in the long run.

Please reject the regulations as proposed.

Sincerely,

Dick Hartley