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San Francisco disability council hears pleas for crosswalk repairs after two pedestrians say falls caused serious injuries
Summary
Two public commenters described falls in downtown crosswalks that they said caused fractures and disability; they cited local and state codes and the ADA and asked the Office on Disability and Accessibility for audits, traffic-signal reviews and restorative action. ODA staff said they will follow up.
Two people told the Mayor's Disability Council on Oct. 17 that dangerous crosswalks in the Financial District and SoMa have caused serious injuries and create ongoing barriers for people with disabilities.
“A crosswalk filled with so many huge deep potholes ... I fell down and broke my foot in multiple places,” said a public commenter who identified herself as Ali, describing a fall at Front and Pine. She said the injury left her using a scooter and wheelchair for four months and asked the city to conduct an immediate traffic-engineering review of Front and Pine, a broader accessibility audit in SoMa and the Financial District, and restorative action to prevent future injuries. Ali cited San Francisco Public Works Code Article 27, California Vehicle Code 21950 and the Americans with Disabilities Act in arguing the city has legal duties to maintain safe crosswalks and coordinate signals so pedestrians are protected.
Patricia Dodson, another speaker, said she fell at Mission and Front because of cracks and uneven pavement, was taken by ambulance to Sutter Hospital and brought photographs to the council. “I don't think the cost would be as high to the city as it would be to pay for the ambulances and the emergency medical care,” she said, urging an audit of crosswalks in downtown neighborhoods and a timeline for repairs.
Deputy Director Debbie Kaplan told the council the Office on Disability and Accessibility has received a written complaint covering the same Front-and-Pine incident and that ODA staff will follow up. Kaplan also noted a separate letter from Thomas Yancey raising concerns about accessibility in multistory buildings and home-owner association permit processes; ODA plans further outreach on that matter.
Council members and staff discussed local forums where access issues can be reported and tracked. Councilmember Paul Bendix encouraged the commenters to bring issues to the Salesforce Transbay Transit Center community advisory committee for broader attention to downtown access problems.
What happens next: ODA staff said they will pursue the complaints, coordinate with property and street-maintenance agencies and follow up with the individuals who submitted letters to the council. The meeting record notes the correspondence will be used to guide ODA follow-up rather than to authorize immediate capital funding or a specific repair schedule.
