In a significant victory for blind and low vision pedestrians, a federal court has mandated that the City of Chicago install thousands of accessible pedestrian signals (APS) over the next decade.
This landmark ruling is the culmination of a lengthy legal battle led by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and Proskauer Rose LLP, representing the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago and several individual plaintiffs.
The lawsuit was initiated in September 2019, challenging the city’s existing policies that overlooked the safety needs of blind and low vision pedestrians during pedestrian planning.
The involvement of the federal Department of Justice was prompted by its own investigation into Chicago’s APS-related practices, further highlighting the urgency of the matter.
When the lawsuit was filed, a staggering less than half of one percent of Chicago’s over 2,800 signalized intersections had APS installed for blind pedestrians.
As of now, this figure has only marginally improved to three percent.
The court’s ruling requires that at least 71% of these intersections be equipped with APS within the next ten years.
After this period, Chicago will be granted five additional years to install APS at all remaining signalized intersections, unless it can demonstrate that blind pedestrians have meaningful access to the pedestrian infrastructure already in place.
Under the court’s order, benchmarks for the minimum number of APS installations each year have been established.
Additionally, a process will be implemented for community members to request APS at specific intersections, prioritizing installations at the most dangerous areas.
To ensure proper compliance with the order, the City must create an effective APS compliance program that guarantees correct installation, timely repairs, and responsive handling of complaints and repair requests.
An Independent Monitor will be appointed by the court to oversee Chicago’s adherence to these requirements.
The ruling also emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the city and the blind community.
As part of the order, the city is mandated to form an APS Community Advisory Committee that will include members from the blind community and organizations dedicated to serving this population.
Moreover, the city will engage with a Certified Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist to provide expertise on the installation and maintenance of the APS.
Rachel Weisberg, Supervising Attorney at Disability Rights Advocates, expressed her excitement about the court’s remedial order.
“We are thrilled with the Court’s Remedial Order, which will completely reshape the pedestrian infrastructure and lead to historic accessibility improvements,” she stated.
Eddie Young, Senior Counsel at Proskauer Rose, characterized the decision as a momentous victory for civil rights and public safety, emphasizing its implications for equal access for all blind and low vision pedestrians in Chicago.
Deborah Watson, one of the plaintiffs and a member of the American Council of the Blind Metropolitan Chicago, reflected on the significance of the various victories achieved throughout the litigation.
“This is a strong remedial order from the court,” she said, highlighting its impact on ensuring safety and access for blind pedestrians.
Ray Campbell, president of the Illinois Council of the Blind and a plaintiff in the case, remarked on the wider implications of the ruling.
He noted, “This decision should send a strong message to communities around Illinois and across the country that the safety of all pedestrians, including those who are blind or visually impaired, must be taken into account.”
Ann Brash, another plaintiff, expressed her anticipation over gaining equal access to crucial traffic signal information.
She noted, “This will go a long way toward ensuring that all blind pedestrians can safely cross Chicago streets.”
Maureen Heneghan, also a plaintiff, shared her relief and optimism about the future.
“It is such a good feeling to know that we will feel so much more reassured and so much safer when crossing busy streets due to accessible pedestrian signals,” she said.
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