DRO Wins Award for Accessible Transportation Advocacy
DRO receives 2016 Weston Award
Pedestrian advocacy group Oregon Walks chose Disability Rights Oregon (DRO) as a recipient of a 2016 Weston Award as a result of our advocacy for safer streets and accessible sidewalks.
The Weston Awards celebrate individuals and organizations that make communities more livable and more walkable.
In announcing its selection of DRO, Oregon Walks wrote:
During a week of extraordinary upheaval and fear, we are faced with a world which feels exclusionary towards many, many people. In light of that reality, we are excited to share with you our next Weston winner, a group whose work is so critical, so instrumental, in making our communities more just and inclusive for all. We are honored to announce Disability Rights Oregon as a Weston Award winner today and encourage you to join us in celebrating the incredible work they have accomplished…
In the early 2000s, DRO advocated to ensure that the Eastbank Esplanade and Portland Streetcar—now crown jewels in Portland’s multimodal transportation system–would be accessible to pedestrians who have disabilities or use wheelchairs.
In 2013, DRO successfully advocated with community partners to ensure that state building code provided accessibility guidelines for clustered mailboxes, which serve single family homes in new housing developments, so that suburban residents can reach their mailbox as a pedestrian.
In 2009, DRO was able to negotiate with the City of Salem to fix inaccessible sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb ramps that prevented people from visiting the library, healthcare providers, the bus mall, and other central businesses and services.
Most recently, DRO and the Association of Oregon Centers for Independent Living (AOCIL), along with eight individuals from throughout the state, filed a lawsuit against the Oregon Department of Transportation over inaccessible sidewalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian signals on ODOT-managed highways.
Read more about why Oregon Walks chose DRO as an award recipient.