Ever wondered what it's like to be blind or drive an electric wheelchair?

City employees got to experience that earlier this month during at "Roll & Stroll" event sponsored by the City and the community.

Roll & Stroll is an experiential activity for people to try different mobility devices (like wheelchairs and walkers) and simulate blindness with goggles and canes on city streets. Organizers of the Roll & Stroll wanted to raise awareness of some of the challenges many people with disabilities encounter in the right-of-way (sidewalks and streets) and highlight many of the successful design features to accommodate people with disabilities for those involved in projects and programs that involve the public right-of-way.

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in July, the City of Portland co-planned a number of events, including the Roll & Stroll for City employees on August 3, 2010. Starting in front of City Hall, participants followed a route through downtown and then back to the Lovejoy Conference Room at City Hall for questions and answers.  

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability staff involved in urban design or planning/design aspects of pedestrian spaces participated in the Roll & Stroll, as well as those involved in the 20-minute neighborhood strategy of the Portland Plan. Commissioner Amanda Fritz and city staff from several other bureaus were also in attendance.