Road conditions lead to safety concerns for wheelchair users
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A bump in the road may not seem like a big deal unless you're using a wheelchair. One man said the street conditions in the northeast part of the Valley have him concerned for his safety. Video by ktnv.com
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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - A bump in the road may not seem like a big deal unless you're using a wheelchair. One man said the street conditions in the northeast part of the Valley have him concerned for his safety.
"This is not just a tiny bump," explained Bruce Rickard.
Rickard braces for each bump. His biggest challenge isn't necessarily getting around in a wheelchair, but getting across the raised pavement at the edge of the road on East Carey Avenue near Lamb.
"I see people in power chairs hit it and you can hear them hit it; a loud bang and they pop up in the air and go over it," said Rickard.
The asphalt has raised up roughly an inch, if not more, at the edge of the road where the accessible sidewalk slopes down to connect with the street. Rickard said the bump is severe enough to throw him from his wheelchair.
"I'm afraid I'm going to get thrown into the street again and one of these cars isn't going to wait for me to get up and I'm just going to wind up another statistic," said Rickard.
Rickard is 54 and relies on his wheelchair to get around. He said he tried to report his concerns to the county but got sick of waiting on hold. Frustrated, he called Action News.
"I never noticed the bumps before," said Rickard, referring to his recent need to use a wheelchair.
So what caused the bumps? Clark County is looking into the matter but has not had a paving project on that section of Carey in roughly ten years, said county spokesman Dan Kulin.
Thanks to calls from Action News, Kulin said the county plans to send someone to the scene in the coming days to assess the problem and decide the best path forward.
Action News also contacted the office of Commissioner Tom Collins. An assistant said our calls were the first they heard of the issue, and they planned to alert the public works department of the problem.
Rickard said a small fix could make a big difference.
"I'd like to see it shaved down and something to make it easier for us with wheelchairs to get across the street here," said Rickard.
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