HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – In downtown Harrisonburg, wheelchair users and disabled citizens are upset about accessibility issues in the city. City leaders are looking for ways to find solutions to these problems They have implemented long-term transition plans.

For some people in downtown Harrisonburg, access to parts of the city has been difficult. Wheelchair user James Sheets said one of the most difficult problems he faced was bus stops in the city centre.

“One of the biggest problems is right here at the library, because you have a bus stop and there are 10-minute parking signs right above it, so people come in and park thinking it’s 10-minute parking. Then the bus can’t get in there and lower the ramp so people can get on. “Then you have to wait another hour and hope there are no cars,” Sheets said. “Some of the ramps that are new to the curb are very steep. Even at the bus stop, there’s no access to the ramps. There’s four inches of pavement everywhere.”

Sheets’ concerns are not limited to this; Further down North Main Street, speeding drivers and a lack of sidewalks create an even bigger problem, he said.

“It’s not just downtown. When you get out of town, there are some bus stops in the middle of the grass, and there’s no way anyone with a disability can access them,” Sheets said. “People have to walk on the road when they pass by. I? I have to drive on the road and you have chicken trucks and everything else. Thirty-five miles an hour? “It’s not possible.”

Sheets said he understands the city is making efforts in other parts of downtown, but he wishes some of those biggest concerns would be addressed.

“This needs to be brought to light so they can be aware of what’s going on so we can hopefully work to fix this issue,” Sheets said. “I know the city can’t raise the money all at once – that’s obvious – but we can start knocking it out a little bit at a time until we catch up.”

Harrisonburg Public Works Director Tom Hartman said he understands the concerns and the city will work to resolve these issues and make downtown more accessible to everyone.

“This is something I can work with our downtown parking attendants and public transit to see if they see the same issue with the bus missing the stop and having to turn around,” Hartman said. “We will eventually harmonize our entire city infrastructure. And with the transition plan, that’s completely acceptable… It lets citizens know that we’re aware. “We are taking action, but it is a big effort to try and do it in a short time.”

Hartman said anyone with concerns about the city can fill out a form. You can find the complaint procedure form on their website.

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