“A year after Superstorm Sandy stranded many New Yorkers without power for days, a federal judge has ruled that New York City’s emergency plans violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Those shortcomings, the judge found, leave almost 900,000 residents in danger, and many say the ruling could have implications for local governments across the country.”

Seth Dixon‘s insight:

I have many more questions than answers after listening to this podcast.  Presumably, most governmental agencies during emergencies are seeking to assist the greatest number of people with limited time and resources; would this court ruling change that mandate?  How will this impact urban planning in the future?  Just how much can plans in times of emergency account for assisting the disabled?  Do you think the City of New York was negligent? 

Tags: disasters, NYC, transportation, urban, planning, podcast.

See on www.npr.org