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Residents, disability advocates urge Pittsburgh City Council to adopt a sidewalk safety action plan after Jan. 25 storm
Summary
Wheelchair users, disability advocates and other residents told City Council on Feb. 4 that snow left in curb cuts and at bus stops after the Jan. 25 storm left many unable to leave their homes; speakers urged a coordinated sidewalk safety action plan and enforcement of sidewalk‑clearing ordinances.
A string of residents told Pittsburgh City Council on Feb. 4 that the city’s snow‑removal response to the Jan. 25 storm left curb cuts, crosswalks and bus stops impassable for people with disabilities and some older residents.
“A wheelchair user can’t get out of my parking lot,” said Alyssa Grishman, an Uptown resident who spoke during the public comment period. She said she postponed a medical procedure because she could not get to the hospital and described snow piled into curb cuts and bus stops that make wheelchair travel impossible.
Elaine Houston, who lives on the East Liberty–Shadyside border, said the Pittsburgh Center for Disability Justice is trying to help through mutual aid, but that relying on volunteers and a 3‑1‑1 complaint system is inadequate for urgent needs. “An individual in a wheelchair who is unable to use one curb cut or crosswalk just gets them one step at a time,” she said, urging the council to adopt a formal sidewalk safety action plan so people are not trapped for days or weeks.
Speakers compared Pittsburgh’s response with programs in other cities; Grishman noted New York City’s paid emergency shoveler program and suggested the city consider similar targeted staffing to clear curb cuts, bus stops and crosswalks.
Multiple commenters—speakers included people identifying only by a title—framed the issue as both an access and an enforcement problem, saying that plows frequently dump snow into curb cuts and that existing ordinances are not being enforced to ensure sidewalks are cleared to an accessible standard.
Council did not take formal action during the Feb. 4 meeting. Speakers requested the council and the mayor’s office work together on a plan that would ensure curb cuts and bus stops are cleared after major storms and asked for better 3‑1‑1 triage or a city‑coordinated rapid response for disability needs.
For now, advocates asked the council to consider short‑term measures (paid emergency shovelers, targeted dispatch to known mobility‑impaired addresses) and longer‑term fixes (clearer enforcement protocols and reporting that handles area‑wide problems rather than single 3‑1‑1 tickets).
