The Houston Commission on Disabilities’ Special Task Force on Intersection and Sidewalk Safety, a component of Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Safer Streets Initiative, will host a telephone town hall meeting 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, for residents with disabilities to voice concerns and recommendations on pedestrian safety in the city.
Comments are welcome from Houstonians with disabilities who have experienced difficulty traveling safely at intersections, sidewalks, transit stops, rail crossings, and related barriers.
The commission will also hear from residents in person at its meeting 4-6 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center at 1475 W. Gray, Houston TX, 77019. American Sign Language interpretation, Spanish translation, and real-time captioning will be provided.
For the July 9 telephone meeting, call 720-707-2699 and dial the meeting ID number, 677 301 465. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing or others who prefer text-based communications may type questions using a computer or smartphone at https://zoom.us/j/677301465. The meeting will be captioned on the screen and recorded.
Of course, people hard of hearing are welcome to phone also. With the help of phones for hearing impaired people, more phone calls can be conducted through the specialized devices which enhance and slow down the sound to allow people with hearing issues to comfortably understand.
“Recent tragedies involving deaths of persons with disabilities who have been hit by automobiles at unsafe intersections have underscored the important need for safer streets in Houston,” said Richard Petty, chair of the Houston Commission on Disabilities.
To reduce traffic fatalities and major injuries, Mayor Sylvester Turner established the Safer Streets Initiative. This initiative has led to safety improvements in Gulfton, at North Shepherd Drive and West 10th Street and to the city’s 3-1-1 reporting system.