By Paul Dyson, RailPAC President, and Member Burbank City Transportation Commission
I’m very proud to report that Burbank and RailPAC are
leading the fight to get the ADA station platform
heights ruling nullified.

As you know the USDOT (in their ignorance) wants to
put subway platforms at commuter and intercity
stations and it just doesn’t work without enormous
expense. The attached resolution is a small start in
getting this changed. The Disabilities Council will
be sending it on to our congressmen (Adam Schiff and
Brad Sherman).

Please feel free to use this document to encourage
other jurisdictions to join us in this issue.

Resolution from Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities

Whereas the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities welcomes and supports the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), and

Whereas the said Advisory Council desires the continuation and expansion of Amtrak and Metrolink passenger rail services from the Burbank Train stations, and

Whereas the United States Department of Transportation (“USDOT”) rulemaking (DOT Docket No. 2006-23985) proposes rules that will require prohibitively expensive modifications to stations, trains, or both, without measurably improving access to people with Disabilities, and

Whereas if the said rulemaking is enforced the result will be reduced train service, closure of passenger train stations and reduced mobility for all,

Now therefore the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities calls upon the Congress of the United States of America to reverse the USDOT rulemaking, and to cause the USDOT to set up a blue ribbon panel of passengers, members of the disabled community, and train operators to explore cost effective improvements to station access.