DENVER - Less than one month after opening, the renovated Union Station is at the center of a lawsuit.
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition says the new design violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
"Denver and RTD constructed a raised area that is open to the public inside the renovated Union Station that is completely inaccessible to patrons who use wheelchairs," the lawsuit claims.
“We do not understand why RTD or Denver would make such a mistake and intentionally exclude individuals who use wheelchairs from a large portion of the new Union Station project,” said Julie Reiskin, a named plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The half-a-billion-dollar transit center opened July 26 and was four years in the making. It is expected to serve 15,000 passengers every day, increasing up to 200,000 passengers per day by 2030.
The new transportation hub is located just west of the old Union Station, which was built in the late 1800s.
The station is planning to connect downtown with the Denver International Airport by 2016, when the new East Rail Line is expected to be complete.
The
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is suing RTD, the Denver metro-area
transit authority, over what the group says is inaccessibility at the
newly renovated Union Station. - See more at:
http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is suing RTD, the Denver metro-area
transit authority, over what the group says is inaccessibility at the
newly renovated Union Station.
The building re-opened to much fanfare last month, with a new hotel and restaurants.
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is suing RTD, the Denver metro-area
transit authority, over what the group says is inaccessibility at the
newly renovated Union Station.
The building re-opened to much fanfare last month, with a new hotel and restaurants.
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is suing RTD, the Denver metro-area
transit authority, over what the group says is inaccessibility at the
newly renovated Union Station.
The building re-opened to much fanfare last month, with a new hotel and restaurants.
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The
Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is suing RTD, the Denver metro-area
transit authority, over what the group says is inaccessibility at the
newly renovated Union Station.
The building re-opened to much fanfare last month, with a new hotel and restaurants.
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
The station’s Great Hall features a public area with seating and shuffleboard tables, but the area is elevated and unreachable by people who can't climb stairs, according to the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition.
The Coalition says RTD has offered to set up a temporary ramp when someone needs it. The group’s attorney, Andrew Montoya, says that’s not enough.
"That’s absolutely not the same experience, basically to have to go around, see that there is no ramp, and then make your way around, trying to find someone who maybe can get a ramp out for you," Montoya said.
Montoya says his organization brought up the issue with the Regional Transportation District while the remodel was still in the planning stages.
"We’ve been round and round with both RTD and the city of Denver kind of tackling this problem," Montoya said. "And the fact that it still went up and still was installed, we think that shows at least a reckless disregard for folks’ civil rights."
The suit says Union Station is in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act., and it is asking a court to require RTD to install permanent wheelchair access.
RTD denied to comment on the matter.
- See more at: http://www.cpr.org/news/story/denver-sued-over-union-station-access-disabled#sthash.iP2LAJG3.dpuf
