RTA looks to improve stop accessibility

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Forty pedestrian bus pads would be built at transit stops in the Old North Dayton and McCook Field neighborhoods if the City of Dayton receives a U.S. Department of Transportation "New Freedom" accessibility grant it has recently applied for.

A public meeting has been scheduled to provide more information on this and similar projects proposed by communities in the Dayton region. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 1, at the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission's Center for Regional Cooperation, 1100 W. Third St., from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The pads would connect sidewalks with curbs, making transit stops accessible for passengers who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Currently, sidewalks are separated from the curbs by a grassy strip which makes accessing a bus difficult for anyone using a mobility device.

The bus pads would be constructed within the existing public right of way along Leo, Stanley, Helena, Keowee, Webster, Troy, Valley, Kuntz, Brandt and Bickmore Streets. The proposed project cost is $15,000, with a requested federal share of $12,000.