From: Waterman, Brian Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 12:54 PM To: 'Sila Miller'; tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Erica; Julia Kamm-Cohen; Amanda Kan; Angel Scruggs Fazio; Barbara Ross; Elizabeth S. Bowden; Eva McElvy; Jeanine Kane; Jennifer Crowder; Michael Worley; Sharon - home; Simone Cunningham; Tinetta Cooper; Toni King; Wayne Warner Subject: RE: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro Sila's request on the texting for real time next bus information prompts a discussion on durability vs. availability. It is our plan to add real time next bus information with the texting code later this year, probably by summer. The stop code on the braille plates would provide this information if texted to 2722. My budget, however, for the braille plates is $20,000. A highly durable metal braille plate costs approximately $35/pole. After factoring in replacement costs, I can add braille plates to 250 to 300 poles (up to 30% of our stops). If we go with a lower quality acrylic plate ($10 or less per pole), I could probably cover every stop. These plates, which I have a sample, do have durability issues. I would like to continue this discussion for another week. Based on the consensus of the responses, I will draft specifications for the braille plates. Thank you for all your input. From: Sila Miller [mailto:silam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]<mailto:[mailto:silam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 2:10 PM To: Waterman, Brian; tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: Erica; Julia Kamm-Cohen; Amanda Kan; Angel Scruggs Fazio; Barbara Ross; Elizabeth S. Bowden; Eva McElvy; Jeanine Kane; Jennifer Crowder; Michael Worley; Sharon - home; Simone Cunningham; Tinetta Cooper; Toni King; Wayne Warner Subject: Re: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro Dear Mr. Waterman, Thanks for consulting us on these issues and listening to our input. I applaud the City and StarMetro for installing audible pedestrian signals (APS) at 10 out of the 15 stops previously identified! I believe the APS at Adams St. and Tennessee St. should still be considered a high priority as the Greyhound station is directly across the street from the plaza and is frequented by folks with disabilities. Seventh Ave. and Monroe St. (near the Senior Center) should also continue to be seen as a priority as well for the above stated reason(s). As far as the braille signage, I'd like to ask where we are with the texting ability (code) to know where the bus is prior to commenting on the placement of the signs. Most of us who already use the bus probably know where the poles we frequent are (some hard lessons learned by missing buses) are but if the texting ability is available then that puts a whole new spin on things. Again, thanks much for soliciting our comments and opinions! Sila Miller ----- Original Message ----- From: Evelyn Worley<mailto:eworley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: Wayne Warner<mailto:wwarner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Toni King<mailto:tking@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Tinetta Cooper<mailto:tcooper@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Simone Cunningham<mailto:scunningham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Sharon - home<mailto:share0513@xxxxxxx> ; Michael Worley<mailto:mworley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jennifer Crowder<mailto:jcrowder@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Jeanine Kane<mailto:jkane@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Eva McElvy<mailto:emcelvy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Elizabeth S. Bowden<mailto:ebowden@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Barbara Ross<mailto:bross@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Angel Scruggs Fazio<mailto:ascruggs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Amanda Kan<mailto:akan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Julia Kamm-Cohen<mailto:jkammcohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Waterman, Brian<mailto:Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 3:01 PM Subject: [tabi] Your opinions needed from StarMetro Hi everyone. Brian Waterman with StarMetro asked if I could help out with getting opinions and/or a consensus from the blind community about the following items by this Friday, 3/1. In addition to posting on TABI, feel free to send your comments directly to Brian at Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx<mailto:Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx> . 1. FTA funding has now been approved to proceed with installing the braille signage at bus stops! It is logical to begin installing them in the areas where the bus routes intersect. What other areas and stops do you see as a priority, and why? 2. So far, the City and StarMetro have installed audible signals/APS at 10 out of the 15 intersections that were identified as being "high priority." The rest are still in the works. A change to the priority list (see attached list) has been requested. When the list was originally created, it was determined that an audible signal/APS at Adams St. and Tennessee St. was of high priority. Since then, several of the buses have been re-routed to go into the transfer plaza, decreasing the necessity for riders to walk in the vicinity to make their transfers. It is being recommended that the Adams and Tennessee intersection be dropped to a lower priority. Instead, it is being recommended that the city proceed with installation of audible signals/APS at the two following intersections (already listed as a high priority): a) Mahan Dr. and Magnolia Dr. and b) Seventh Ave. and Monroe St. (near the Senior Center). Please weigh in on each of these topics. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Evelyn Worley, COMS, CVRT Assistant Director Lighthouse of the Big Bend (850) 942-3658 x203 Fax (850) 942-4518 Lighthouse of the Big Bend "Guiding People Through Vision Loss" 3071 Highland Oaks Terrace, Tallahassee, FL 32301