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ADA advisory board praises recent station accessibility launches, raises concerns about bus islands and electric-bus design
Summary
The ADA advisory board reported on recent accessible station openings and touched on concerns about tactile signage durability, bus island designs that could create conflicts with cyclists, and accessibility limits on some electric-bus designs.
Laura Saltzman, chair of the ADA Advisory Committee, briefed the board on the committee's July meeting and recent accessibility milestones and concerns.
Saltzman noted the successful launch of four fully accessible Rising (RPM) stations — Lawrence, Argyle, Berwyn and Bryn Mawr — on July 20, 2025, and congratulated CTA staff. She said the committee toured the RPM stations and provided feedback to project staff prior to the launch. The committee also received an update on a tactile bus-sign program: committee members said about 3,000 tactile signs have been installed across 25 routes since March 22, and a tactile-decals pilot is underway; committee members praised the tactile quality but raised concerns about weather durability.
Saltzman said the committee expects the Racine Blue Line station to open toward the end of September and that an August Green Line station entrance transitioned to a temporary entrance to enable elevator installation. She also described an e-paper display pilot with 18 signs that include text-to-speech functionality; committee members asked for larger text and time stamps to increase confidence in real-time information.
The committee flagged safety and accessibility concerns about some CDOT bus-island designs that combine boarding areas with bike lanes, saying shared boarding areas can create conflicts for wheelchair users and people with low vision. Saltzman recommended broader stakeholder consultation, including organizations such as the National Federation of the Blind and Chicago Lighthouse, so that multimodal street designs preserve full accessibility for people with disabilities.
Committee members also raised concerns about some electric-bus designs that may reduce the number of powered wheelchairs that can board simultaneously, potentially limiting accessibility on certain trips; Saltzman urged CTA to study that issue as the agency transitions to electric buses.
Why it matters: The ADA advisory committee's report highlights recent accessibility gains at stations and outstanding issues for bus stops and vehicles that could affect riders with disabilities as CTA implements station projects, bus island redesigns and fleet electrification.
