DAYTON, Ky. — The City of Dayton, Ky. is searching for a solution to parking and accessibility issues on some of its residential streets.
“Well, people hit your mirror, they side-swipe you," said 10th Avenue resident Sue Brooker.
Because of that, residents on 10th Avenue said they park with two wheels on the sidewalk. But it leaves less room for pedestrians.
The city said it received an anonymous complaint from someone who said they use a wheelchair and couldn't get by these cars on the sidewalk. Now, officials are telling residents not to park on the sidewalk because it violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires 36 inches of available sidewalk space.
“Everyone has different abilities that’s going to use a wheelchair and everyone might not have that ability to jump a curb or jump down a curb and I feel like a lot of people with disabilities get to the point where they’re worried about venturing out and kind of having that level of independence because of some of those obstacles," advocate Jacob Counts said.
Counts has been using a wheelchair since he was 13 and said he has seen areas where accessibility is easy, like most newer infrastructure, but he's also seen situations like 10th Avenue, where cars or other things block the sidewalk.
“I think it’s important to imagine yourself in that situation, where you’re someone who has a difference from all of your neighbors and a lot of times it’s hard to advocate for yourself," he said.
To him, the whole community is part of the solution.
“It goes back to the fact that a lot of us are going to need a wheelchair or mobility-assisted device at some point in our life so if you just plan for that now then you know you’ll have an inclusive welcoming community where everyone can use it," Counts said.
Residents said they've been parking with two wheels on the sidewalk for decades because of the narrow road.
“I’d rather pay for a ticket than a body repair," resident Matt Grummich said.
City Administrator Jay Fossett said the administration, city council and public safety officials are working to find a solution.
“We’re trying to balance it all, we’re trying to figure out a solution that will help us address all of those issues," he said.
This includes making sure the city's fire trucks can get through. Officials have already made some changes with this in mind, including creating a fire lane at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Dayton Avenue.
“Everything we’re looking at is traffic flow, prohibiting parking in certain areas, do you allow on sidewalks, if you do, how do you make sure there’s 36 inches for people to get through?" Fossett said.
It's not just a problem on 10th Avenue but on other nearby streets like Dayton and Belmont avenues. The city said it'll tackle 10th Avenue first since that is the road someone filed a complaint about, but it's working on a solution to the broader problem too.
