HIGH (AND ACCESSIBLE) IN THE CITY
By Steve Wright
And what about the restrooms? Truly accessible restrooms are all too rare, let alone facilities located in an urban area that often become graffiti-splashed hovels for vagrants.
Thankfully, New York's only park elevated 30 feet above street level can answer "yes" to all of our accessibility concerns. It has regulation elevators, not lifts and its pathways are wide and welcoming -- we saw a half dozen wheelers during our first half hour on the High Line. The restrooms are large, perfectly-equipped for disabled visitors and attended by uniformed staffers.
We planned our trip well in advance, a necessary rather than optional strategy for anyone with significant mobility limitations. We checked out the High Line’s website. It had basic, simply-stated info about access points for people with disabilities.
Afraid to leave things to chance, we emailed a contact on the website. Assuring us of wheelchair access, we were instructed to use an elevator at the 16th Street entrance -- and it worked like charm and was attended by a uniformed staffer.
The High Line mostly runs flat, but there are very gentle ramps to cover slight changes in grade. The pathway ducks under at least one building, providing a covered area should a passing shower pop up.
Wright has contributed stories about accessible architecture, urban travel and foreign adventure for more than a decade. Contact the Miami-based writer-photographer at stevewright64@yahoo.com
TOMORROW: Part 4
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