Outreach Meeting at Yankee Stadium
March 21, 2007
1 PM – 3 PM
Dominic Marinelli from United Spinal Association provided introductions and a brief overview of our agenda, which included the following items:
Ticket Policy Update
- Due to the settlement with DOJ, the Yankees do not have any control over the ticket policy at the current stadium.
- All large venues have issues with the abuse of wheelchair viewing locations by non-disabled fans, the challenge is how to comply with DOJ requirement that prohibit venues from asking for proof of disability while not excluding Yankee fans with disabilities from enjoying future games in the new ballpark
- In our earlier meetings and special task groups, we collected feedback and suggestions on how to improve the ticket policy at the new stadium. These suggestions will be taken into consideration and the issue of ticket policy and enforcement will be revisited.
Access-a-Ride
Carol Zwick and Gary Schiavone – Paratransit Division of NYC Transit
- The current stadium does not have a designated Access-a-Ride bus stop.
- Department of Transportation must approve a designated bus stop – they are currently working with DOT to get a bus stop assigned to the new stadium.
- Need location at new stadium that will accommodate Access-a-Ride vehicles.
- Before choosing the location for the bus stop, must figure out the traffic pattern at the new stadium.
- Ed Roether from HOK Architects added that the traffic pattern should consist of vehicular traffic and pedestrian traffic.
- It is also important to have the bus stop located near an accessible entrance.
- Ed Roether informed audience that all entrances at the new stadium will be accessible.
- Dominic Marinelli stated that at first he always thought that the bus stop should be located by the primary entrance but that may not be the best choice if we take into consideration the volume of pedestrian traffic.
- Ideal bus stop location could accommodate 3-5 vehicles, be provided with a curb to make deploying a ramp easier, and be provided with covered benches.
- Access-a-Ride works with the police, making them aware that they are part of NYC Transit.
Questions:
- Can Access-a-Ride provide a loop system into each vehicle so that the drivers can communicate with passengers who are deaf or hard of hearing?
- Can the vehicle access lane for Access-a-Ride vehicles be larger?
- What can we do to ensure that police ticket cars that park in bus stops?
Some NYC Transit employees have the ability to ticket cars that park in bus stops & they do write tickets – fine is $150. - Can the Access-a-Ride bus stop be a remote area and then have a jitney service provided to/from the stadium?
- Can there be a way that customers can speak with the dispatchers?
- Does NYC Transit do outreach about its Access-a-Ride services?
Janice Schacter will provide information on loop system to Gary Schiavone of NYC Transit.
Vehicles are 20 ft in length – the smallest access lane provided is 25 ft and others are 40 ft.
NYC Transit has no control over the police.
Kleo King announced that United Spinal plans on reaching out to NYPD and asking them to attend a future meeting.
This hasn’t been considered. DOT must be involved with NYC Transit in choosing a designated bus stop.
Carol Zwick stated that all of the vehicles will be getting GPS so that they can be tracked.
Carol Zwick stated that Access-a-Ride does outreach – Access-a-Ride receives approximately 4,000 applications each month.
Metro-North Update – John E. Kenard – Long Range Planning at Metro North Railroad
- Metro-North will be opening a new station near Yankee Stadium (closer to where current stadium is located).
- Trying to get new station opened by the time that the new stadium is opened but this will be a challenge – Metro-North must acquire land.
- New station will be fully accessible – elevators, accessible signage, tactile warnings
- New station will be served by all 3 lines east of the Hudson River
Questions:
- Will all lines have express trains?
- Will Metro North provide a jitney service from new station to Yankee Stadium?
- When there are delays, the signs don’t keep up with “real†train time – will this problem be taken into consideration at new station?
Depends on location – some lines will only be local trains.
This had not been considered – can look into this.
Signs at new station will be updated by an individual located at the new station, rather than from a remote location, so that delays can be noted on signs and provide commuters with “real†train time.
Captioning – Joel Ziev – Partners for Access LLC and Ed Roether – HOK Architects
- There will be two ribbon board displays for captioning provided at 1st and 3rd base – each display will be approximately 4 ft by 20 ft.
- Everything on PA system is proposed to be displayed on ribbon board.
- Ribbon board will be an LED screen, supporting two lines of captioning but is flexible to allow various means of captioning.
- LED screen will be tied into the emergency back-up system to provide information during an emergency situation.
- Flexibility with this type of system – size of letters, all capital letters or mixed letter types, number of lines of information provided, etc.
Questions:
- What information will be provided on the TV monitors throughout the stadium?
- Can a third ribbon board be provided below the scoreboard? There is some concern about making individuals look away from the scoreboard to read the captioning on the two ribbon boards located at 1st and 3rd base.
- Will advertisements be provided on ribbon boards? It was suggested that ads should not be mixed with captioning.
- Can these ribbon boards be seen from the bleacher seats?
- Can the background color be changed on the ribbon boards to notify individuals when information being provided isn’t relevant to the game?
- Will the music being played over the PA system be captioned? If yes, could the font be changed so that individuals know that the captioning being provided is the music being heard over the PA system?
Ed Roether stated that the TV monitors should allow for two captioning feeds, but is not sure what would provide the best communication – either the same info provided over the PA system or play-by-play info from the broadcast.
It is expected that most information announced over the PA system will be displayed on the scoreboard, but further discussion is necessary.
The caption displays are dedicated to captioning but are adjacent to other ribbon boards that serve advertisements.
Yes, the ribbon boards can be seen from bleacher seats – will have to make sure that the captioning can be read from bleacher seats.
The LED screens are flexible – need further discussion to determine best method of relaying information over ribbon boards.
Yes, everything heard over the PA system could be captioned and the font could be changed. However, the extent and presentation of captioned information needs further discussion.
Additional Questions:
- Will the new stadium provide accommodations for individuals that have low vision?
- How will individuals in the ramps during egress be notified of details and/or directions relevant to an emergency situation?
- Will food vending areas be provided with an accessible counter?
- Will accessible menus be provided?
- Can an induction loop system be provided at each ticket booth so that individuals who are hard of hearing can communicate?
- Will accessible menus be provided?
Ed Roether explained the way-finding that will be provided at the stadium, in addition to the signage provided with high contrast letters.
Ed Roether stated that the TV monitors have the capability to provide emergency information but they are not visible from the exit ramps. Also, the stadiums TV’s are not hooked-up to the emergency power system.
Yes, all counters provided at vendors will be either 34 inches or 36 inches above the floor.
It will be proposed to the venders that they provide approachable menus at each food vending area that will allow individuals to look at menu and make a choice before going to service counter.
Providing induction loops at the ticket booths will be looked at, but further discussion is required.
It will be proposed to the venders that they provide approachable menus at each food vending area that will allow individuals to look at menu and make a choice before going to service counter.
