Letter: Advocating for an accessible terminal

I attended a meeting on Wednesday at Bob Hope Airport to learn about the proposed bridge from the Regional Intermodal Transportation Center (RITC) parking lot to the Amtrak Station platforms with elevators leading from the bridge down to the north and south platforms and a fence between them at grade crossings. I am concerned about the fact that there is still no parking available along either Empire Avenue or Van Owen Street to allow for disabled travelers to be able to park and catch a train or be dropped off to catch a train.

It seems the bridge will benefit those travelers who arrive in Burbank by plane and take the moving walkway to the RITC, then the bridge to the elevators to the platforms to catch trains to either north or south — but what about those of us beginning our trips in Burbank? More to consider?

The airport is hosting the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities on Thursday, March 24 to present proposals for the new air terminal. The meeting will be at 1 p.m. in the Sky Room. Please come and hear the presentation and bring questions too.

We want our new terminal to be the best possible and accessible for all — and have connectivity to the train station. Your ideas are helpful to the planning of the terminal. We need to be proactive and assist the planners to assure everyone ability to access and use our wonderful trains and planes. Call Janet at (818) 216-9377 for details.

Janet Diel

Burbank

The writer is vice president of the Burbank Advisory Council on Disabilities and vice-chair of the Burbank Transportation Commission.