Curb Cuts

If I am fortunate enough to find a parallel parking spot, or an angle spot at the right-side end of a row, that doesn't obstruct my ramp or lift with a planter or bike rack, and it has a parking meter usable by me, I might be able to access the amenities of downtown. That is, if I am not stuck wheeling multiple blocks one direction or the other searching for a curb cut as seen above. Crossing in the middle of the street because there is a curb cut/driveway for an alley is not unusual for me.

Unfortunately, once you get beyond downtown Saskatoon, curb cuts become a rarity. Old "character" areas of the city have few curb cuts, very high sidewalks, very few driveways, and sporadic back alleys. Any time I have tried to enjoy a photo walk with friends in those scenic parts of town I have spent more time searching for places to cross the street than actually enjoying the neighborhood, the scenery, and the photography. Newer areas are usually fairly good about having curb cuts but they are notorious for losing their smooth transition between the sidewalk and the road after one winter. That is, the concrete sinks and the asphalt heaves making for a large lip at the bottom of the sloped curb cut; ideal for doing a headfirst dive out of my chair if I am not very careful.

Speaking of winter, as we plunged back down into the -30°C range, everything but fresh snow becomes as hard as concrete and, ironically, makes it easier to wheel through and over than when it is warmer. A recent respite from the cold had us enjoying slightly above 0°C weather in January. However, the streets are a jagged, rutted mess now that it has refrozen and when it was warm the gritty, wet, slop that I would have to wheel through to cross a street makes for an utter mess. I restricted my parking to being on the same block as my destination. This did result in passing up three coffee shop options before settling on one where I lucked out to find a usable parking space.

I do not know what the answer for this problem is in winter. Anything but the most thorough snow removal would make for similar problems, but I do believe that improvement is possible. As for the limited parking downtown and the dangerous ridges where a curb cut meets the heaved asphalt, there are simple solutions. Firstly, remove the planters and move the bike racks. When the springtime pothole repair crews come to the neighborhood, the transition at the bottom of the curb cut could be made much safer for nine months out of the year for anyone using a wheelchair, stroller or other mobility aid, by evening out the ridge with the asphalt equipment they use to fill potholes. Regarding the complete lack of curb cuts in older neighborhoods that require me to spend much of my travel time on the street searching for a place to get back onto the sidewalk, that is simply an unacceptable discrimination.

On a positive note, the snow build up at the edges of roads, and medians in parking lots, often makes for the perfect transition between the lower and higher surfaces. Under the right circumstances, including a temperature of about -15°C or colder, everywhere is a curb cut, or should I say ramp. Aside from the bumpy surfaces, at least we are lucky enough, on occasion, to have easy access to small height differences.

Source and Solution: The only way to improve the situation is through organized petition of your city council.