[tabi] Re: FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro

  • From: "Waterman, Brian" <Brian.Waterman@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: 'Chip Orange' <Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 1 Mar 2013 17:14:10 +0000

Regardless of the material used, we will inventory every stop at least once a 
year. If missing braille plates are brought to our attention, we would 
immediately replace it.

From: Chip Orange [mailto:Corange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 12:12 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Waterman, Brian
Subject: RE: [tabi] FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro

Hi again Brian,

It seems like the effort of visiting every stop and affixing a braille plate 
argues for the more durable metallic plates; especially since the time to 
process even 300 stops might mean you'll be able to come up with the money to 
complete the rest of the stops by then.  (I also wonder how likely a reasonably 
quick repair/replacement of a damaged acrylic plate is going to be when they 
need replacing)

Thanks.

Chip



From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
[mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]<mailto:[mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]> 
On Behalf Of Waterman, Brian
Sent: Friday, March 01, 2013 11:15 AM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [tabi] FW: Your opinions needed from StarMetro



From: Waterman, Brian
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 12:54 PM
To: 'Sila Miller'; 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

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

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