South Hills Woman Who Uses Mobility Scooter Raises Concern Over Sidewalk Shortfalls
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A Beechview woman who relies on her mobility scooter to get around says not all sidewalks lead to safety.
"I go out and there's nowhere for me to go. My knuckles were white. I was so petrified," said Bernadette Mosey.
Independence for Mosey means scooters, buttons and sidewalks to nowhere.
"I go here and nothing," said Mosey. "There is a tree and a gravel pit."
Mosey reached out to KDKA to investigate what she calls "sidewalks to nowhere," saying she relies on her mobility scooter to get around, but she found not all sidewalks lead to safety.
She showed our cameras what issues she runs into trying to safely cross Library Road from Lytle Road to Rhodes Avenue in hopes of gaining access to the South Park Shops. On one end of the sidewalk, she hits an abrupt end and a gravel ditch. In the other direction, a telephone pole juts out of the middle of the sidewalk. She's forced to throw her mobility scooter in reverse to try another entrance.
"But I can't get past here," said Mosey. "So, for me to go shopping here or to enjoy something to eat with my daughter, this is what I have to do."
She calls them "sidewalks to nowhere" because they look the part, but don't work for her.
Mosey also pointed out the busy intersection in Dormont along West Liberty Avenue near Pioneer.
"That whole intersection by the gas station -- fire hydrant, bolted this, bolted that, you can't get through."
Mosey said it leaves people like her with no access, or no choice she says but to dodge traffic. She also asks, "what about people with strollers?" That's why she's making it her mission to raise awareness before an accident.
"We're trained to follow these things. We don't have a map or GPS doesn't say 'fake intersection.' We're relying on these things," said Mosey.
KDKA reached out to Allegheny County to find out who maintains the sidewalks. We learned the sidewalks and ADA ramps in these spots do not fall under the county's jurisdiction. A county spokeswoman tells KDKA all traffic signals are owned and operated by municipalities, saying every time a traffic signal improvement occurs, PennDOT requires they're brought up to ADA compliance.
KDKA also reached out to the local municipalities involved and will update when we hear back.
