The Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation looked at 100 of the United States largest cities and ranked top 20 most accessible cities based many different criteria. Both Winston-Salem and Durham, North Carolina made the top 20 and are ranked 8th and 13th respectively.
The organization tried to avoid cities with extreme
temperatures or snowfall. Extreme climates often make it difficult for people
living with paralysis to get around. They researched the air quality, number of physicians,
rehab specialist/rehab centers, accessible fitness centers, recreation facilities,
paratransit systems in these cities, and the age of the cities. Older buildings
tend to be less accessible and harder to make accessible.
Employment was a major concern for the researchers. They checked
to see if there was a large population of disabled citizens and if they have
been able to get employment.
Even though all cities are required to make public
transportation accessible to everyone, some citizens still have difficulties
managing the transportation system with their assistive device. "Even if a
transit system is listed as accessible, it still may be very difficult to use
it if you are in a wheelchair or other assistive device," says Yochai
Eisenberg, an urban planner and Project Coordinator at the Department of
Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Many cities like New Orleans, Louisiana are implementing universal
designs to all buildings. Universal designs have wide doorways and flat entryways
to allow accessibility to everyone from the elderly and those in a stroller or
wheelchair. Many buildings are built on these standards nationwide
Part of what makes both Winston-Salem and Durham very
accessible cities is their extensive paratransit programs. Trans-AID of
Winston-Salem and DATA of Durham provide their cities various beneficial
services. To find out more about these systems please explore the links above.
To see the full
article and list of accessible cities please see the Christopher and Dana Reeve’s
Foundation website.
