Accessible Parking Forum to Discuss Proposed Disabled Parking Placard and Blue Zone Changes
On October 19, the Mayor’s Office on Disability and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will host an accessible parking forum to discuss the Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee recommendations to improve parking access for people with disabilities. All members of the public are encouraged to attend and provide feedback on proposals for disabled parking placard and blue zone policies.
The Accessible Parking Policy Advisory Committee was a stakeholder group comprised mostly of people with disabilities. The group concluded that current disabled parking placard and blue zone policies are failing to increase access for people with disabilities, and reduce parking availability for all drivers. After working collaboratively for six months, they came to a broad consensus on a set of recommendations to increase access and reduce disabled parking placard misuse. Their package of state and local changes includes proven solutions used in other jurisdictions.
These policies include: increasing blue zones citywide by 70 percent; improving enforcement of placard misuse; increasing the DMV’s oversight of placard approvals; allowing jurisdictions to establish reasonable time limits for placard holder parking; allowing jurisdictions to require placard holders to pay at the meter; and directing revenue to accessibility improvements. The Committee announced their recommendations in May, and members have presented to nearly 20 community and stakeholder groups since then.
“People with disabilities want to move freely throughout San Francisco conducting our business, just like everyone else,” said Jessie Lorenz, Executive Director of the Independent Living Resource Center of San Francisco. “This committee explored all the options, and this set of policies is the best way to free up parking spaces for those who need them most.”
“These analyses and recommendations flow from a complex and thorough process, during which some of us changed our initial views,” said Bob Planthold, Disability Beacon Award winner. “I ask you to read this report in the light of the consensus support our group achieved.”
Forum Details
Accessible parking forum
Saturday, October 19, 2013
10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. – welcome and poster session
11 a.m. to noon – presentation and discussion
Port of San Francisco, Pier 1, The Embarcadero
For more information about the event, see http://www.sfmta.com/calendar/meetings/accessible-parking-forum
Further information
For more information on the Accessible Parking Policy Committee’s recommendations, please visit www.sfmta.com/parkingaccess.
For an updated report covering the committee process, research, recommendations, outreach, and next steps, please visit: