The doors CAN be opened on both sides of the trains from Hoboken!

When they put in ramps for the disabled at buildings, they don’t take away the doors. Not the ones nearest the ramp. Not the ones fartherest from the ramp.

Let’s be clear. There is nothing in any of the laws, regulations, or court decisions requiring that access be made harder for the abled in order to make it easier for the disabled.

To quote from the ADA Web site:

“Public entities do not necessarily have to make each of their existing facilities accessible. They may provide program accessibility by a number of methods including alteration of existing facilities, acquisition or construction of additional facilities, relocation of a service or program to an accessible facility, or provision of services at alternate accessible sites.”

You’ll notice that nowhere does it say the disabled and abled have to have the same access. So NJ Transit’s position is bogus when it comes to legal requirements.

The next claim, that opening doors on both sides would slow down operations, is equally suspect. Opening both doors clears the cars faster and, by allowing the abled to file out one side, actually leaves the disabled with better access on the other!

Ridgewood should not cave in on this issue.