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Intuitively, one might think that fixing wheelchairs is cheaper than fixing sidewalks - but if the numbers in the article are typical, that may not necessarily

Intuitively, one might think that fixing wheelchairs is cheaper than fixing sidewalks - but if the numbers in the article are typical, that may not necessarily be the case. According to the article, "Chicago [...] spent $140 million in five years repairing sidewalks and pedestrian rights of way". The cost of the author's wheelchair is $30 thousand. If we assume this cost is typical, fixing sidewalks would have been cheaper than replacing 5000 wheelchairs with new all-terrain models - and would have benefits for residents and visitors without wheelchairs too.

drzaiusapelord 9y ago
Not to mention those fixes last decades. How long does a wheelchair last, especially an electric one? Better to improve infrastructure than vehicles. Imagine if we gave up on road maintenance and told everyone to just buy a jeep wrangler. That's on top of making life easier for seniors with walkers, parents with strollers, kids riding bikes on sidewalks, etc. I mean you have to build a curb eventually, might as well slope it down when it intersects with a sidewalk. Its not a radical idea and those Chicago curbs would have been replaced eventually with the new ADA standards, its just that federal money made it happen sooner.
nkassis 9y ago
I always wonder when the topic of accessibility comes up why many here on HN jump to it's cheaper to adapt the person than the environment (it also feels like a bandaid solution a bit). As you've just shown with your example I don't think this assumption is obvious and probably deserves more time and study to demonstrate one way or another.
jessriedel 9y ago
$30k wheelchairs are not remotely typical. > A standard, manual wheelchair costs an average of $500, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation . A chair meant for everyday use costs between $1,000 and $2,000 depending upon the features of the chair, which can include an individualized seat, various types of wheels and a lightweight frame. http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html

drzaiusapelord 9y ago

Not to mention those fixes last decades. How long does a wheelchair last, especially an electric one? Better to improve infrastructure than vehicles. Imagine if we gave up on road maintenance and told everyone to just buy a jeep wrangler. That's on top of making life easier for seniors with walkers, parents with strollers, kids riding bikes on sidewalks, etc. I mean you have to build a curb eventually, might as well slope it down when it intersects with a sidewalk. Its not a radical idea and those Chicago curbs would have been replaced eventually with the new ADA standards, its just that federal money made it happen sooner.

nkassis 9y ago

I always wonder when the topic of accessibility comes up why many here on HN jump to it's cheaper to adapt the person than the environment (it also feels like a bandaid solution a bit). As you've just shown with your example I don't think this assumption is obvious and probably deserves more time and study to demonstrate one way or another.

jessriedel 9y ago

$30k wheelchairs are not remotely typical. > A standard, manual wheelchair costs an average of $500, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation . A chair meant for everyday use costs between $1,000 and $2,000 depending upon the features of the chair, which can include an individualized seat, various types of wheels and a lightweight frame. http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html