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Residents urge better outreach on redevelopment and say transit boarding leaves wheelchair users at risk
Summary
Public commenters raised concerns about recent redevelopment practices on Mason Street and described unsafe experiences for wheelchair users boarding city buses, urging the council to meet residents in neighborhoods and adapt transit training and hiring to prioritize accessibility.
Several residents used the public‑comment period to press council on neighborhood redevelopment and transit accessibility. Wayne Wanger of 641 Broadview Drive criticized recent redevelopment and said longtime residents were left out of planning and conversation. "That's Wayne b Wanger. I live in Harrisonburg at 641 Broadview Drive," he said before describing concerns about Mason Street closures and new apartment development.
A caller, Panayiotis Siena, recounted observing bus drivers struggling to secure wheelchairs and argued the city should adopt a transit vision that prioritizes riders with disabilities and trains staff accordingly. "What do we think our bus service is? So if we have a vision of the city, which is a city for all that is run as a store, for example, then we're providing a service and people are hired to drive a bus," Siena said, describing how inadequate training and system design shift burdens to riders and advocates.
Other commenters asked the council to expand neighborhood outreach and to ensure that public processes and facilitated conversations reach residents who may be reluctant to attend city meetings. Council members listened and thanked speakers; the council did not take formal action during public comment.
