| Abstrakt: |
Over thirty years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Philadelphia's rail and trolley networks and New York City's subway system are still terrible for accessibility. In New York, a mere 24-28% of stations are accessible. For people with disabilities-particularly mobility disabilities-this makes the accessible parts of the two cities' transit systems invaluable for everything from economic prosperity to general connectivity to the rest of their communities. Thus, one might wonder who has access to this vital resource. Is station accessibility split up along racial/ethnic lines? If so, what remedies might exist under Title VI and/or the ADA to fix that? This Note employs an empirical analysis in order to answer the first question, relying on geospatial data paired with corresponding Census demographic data. The results of the linear and logistic regressions indicate that race is indeed correlated with accessibility levels. In Philadelphia, stations are less likely to be accessible when located in areas with higher concentrations of Black residents, and in New York City, they are less likely to be accessible when located in areas with higher concentrations of Latine and, in particular, Afro-Latine residents. The Federal Transit Administration's forthcoming revised Circular offers an opportunity to correct this problem. Failing that, however, there is likely enough evidence to warrant at least the filing of an administrative complaint under Title VI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
