Bronx intersection gets accessibility repairs following years of complaints
Assemblymember Chantel Jackson recently drew attention to the issue in a social media video that shows the challenges wheelchair users face when they navigate the area.
More Stories
Residents in the Bronx are seeing changes at a long-troubled intersection after years of concerns about accessibility and safety.
New repairs are now visible at the corner of East 156th Street and Concourse Village East following complaints from residents and advocacy efforts by Assemblymember Chantel Jackson.
She recently drew attention to the issue in a social media video that shows the challenges wheelchair users face when they navigate the area.
"For years, I've complained about the inaccessibility for anyone who is either in a wheelchair, pushing a shopping cart or stroller like myself," Jackson said on Saturday.
Jackson says the curb ramp at the intersection had become difficult to navigate, which created obstacles for people with mobility challenges and families with strollers. She says she has witnessed people struggle to move between the sidewalk and street, and in some cases trip or fall.
Jackson says she met with New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez in June to push for improvements.
Among those impacted is Oscar Soto. He uses a wheelchair and says the intersection has often forced him to take longer routes or depend on others for assistance.
"Cars are always blocking it. You have to be very careful trying to go through here," Soto said.
While Soto says the recent repairs have made the area smoother and easier to navigate, he remains cautious about whether the improvements will hold up over time.
"It's good for now, but I don't know. Time will tell," he said.
The transportation department told News 12 that it planned immediate enhancements at the location. These include improving access to the sidewalk and installing "No Standing Anytime" signs at the intersection and improve visibility and accessibility.
The agency noted that enforcement of illegal parking violations falls under the responsibility of the NYPD.
Jackson says additional work is still needed. She hopes the intersection will eventually be upgraded to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards and wants barriers or planters installed to prevent vehicles from blocking access points.
"We don't have a few years to wait," Jackson said. "We have to get to and from schools and to the grocery store by using this pathway."
For now, residents say the repairs are a welcome first step. They say they will be watching closely to see whether the improvements become a lasting solution.
