City of Salisbury hoping to secure funding for ADA compliant ramps, sidewalks

SALISBURY, Md. – City Councilwoman, Michele Gregory doesn’t just hear the frustrations from her constituents about the lack of accessibility for disabled people, she understands it.

Her son is in a wheelchair, so she knows how hard it can be to navigate the city if you’re disabled.

“It’s an issue that I, myself, have to deal with on a regular basis,” said Gregory. “It really is something that we’ve been working on for a long time.”

The city is working to secure $277k of Community Development Block Grant funding to create more ADA compliant ramps and sidewalks. Tammie Wells, an amputee said this will help disabled people travel the area, safely.

“Those ramps need to be closer to the parking lot. Not having to walk around the building, or go up one ramp, come down another,” said Wells.

And for downtown to be one of the busiest areas in Salisbury, Gregory said accessibility needs to take priority, if this project is cleared.

“When there are events downtown, you have to go all the way around the block, just to get to a curb cut,” said Gregory. “I’ve talked with our team and identified more areas where we could put curb cuts.”

With a community hearing set for April 22, Wells said now is the time for the Salisbury to do its part in creating a more inclusive community.

“I want them to make this a task, meaning, I want them to follow through with it and ensure they’re going to come through and give us that we need, and what everybody needs. It’s not just for the amputee community, it’s for the community as a whole,” said Wells.