Disability Travel in New York

Traveling around New York City can be a daunting task, even for those who live there, and do not have a disability. For those with a disability, such as being confined to a wheelchair and those who do not live in the area, it can be even more challenging. There have been a lot of measures taken recently to ensure travel from Brooklyn to Queens and everywhere in between is easy for those who are visiting and have disabilities. Travel is not the only aspect that has changed as many of the popular sites of the city are also offering disability services as well as the top of the line hotels, to make accessibility easier.

Getting Around

New York City now offers easy access to both buses and subways. Most of the major subway stations offer elevators that are big enough for wheelchairs to fit through to get down to the lower levels. They also offer ramps for easy access if elevators are not provided. Along with the access down to the subway comes lower fares and easy travel onto the subway by not having to go through the turnstyles and having doors big enough to easily fit a wheelchair through.

The bus system is also wheelchair friendly, as every bus on every route in New York City offers lift equipment to allow those in wheelchairs to easily get on the bus.

Taxi and limousine services also provide vehicles for those with disabilities. A law was passed in 2001, requiring those taxi and limousine services to provide a car with disability access and charge the same rate that a taxi or other delivery service would charge. Other forms of transportation such as a ferry also provide wheelchair access with ramps and other amenities.

Hotels

From Manhattan to Staten Island, New York City is filled with hotels that provide disability access. There are many different hotels that adhere to those in wheelchairs. Most of the four and five-star hotels have elevators that are plenty big enough for a wheelchair and also ramps up to the entrance along with steps. There are also double doors for a wheelchairs to fit through and the rooms are plenty big enough.

One hotel that has a lot of wheelchair and disability friendly accommodations is the Millennium Broadway Hotel located in Midtown Manhattan on Broadway. It offers 31 rooms that are handicap accessible and three that are strictly wheelchair friendly. These rooms offer up all of the amenities for those in a wheelchair from entrance into the room to a bathroom that is larger in size and easier for those with disabilities to get around.

Sites and Landmarks

Almost all of the sites and landmarks in New York City offer some various form of wheelchair accessibility that makes getting around those places that much easier. A lot of the famous music halls, museums, and churches, including Baruch Performing Arts Center, the Center for Jewish History, and Corpus Christi Church are fully accessible for those with disabilities.

Other sites such as Madison Square Garden, the Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center are equipped with wheelchair access that makes it extremely easy to get around. Those in wheelchairs get to skip the line waiting to see the Empire State Building as well as the Statue of Liberty.

All of the other major attractions scattered throughout New York City are also accessible with a wheelchair. The sidewalks along most of the city and Manhattan in particular offer curb cuts to make it easier to drop down from the curb to the street at every corner for those who are in wheelchairs as well.

Book a New York Hotel today!