Elderly and disabled residents say icy conditions in Gravesend are leaving them stuck inside
Her main source of transportation, a mobile scooter, has had issues on the icy and snow-filled crosswalks in her neighborhood.
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Brooklyn is finally seeing temperatures climb into the 20s after a stretch of bitter cold, but the slight warmup has done little to melt the ice still covering so many streets.
Abbe Bershatsky, a Gravesend resident, says she believes those icy conditions are keeping many disabled and elderly residents trapped inside.
She says the past two weeks have been full of risks.
Her main source of transportation, a mobile scooter, has had issues on the icy and snow-filled crosswalks in her neighborhood.
“My doctor's around the corner,” said Bershatsky. “Just one block away, but I had to miss two injections because I couldn't get over there. I couldn't get Access-a-Ride because I couldn't get out of the driveway. You have to meet them at the curb.”
Last week, she attempted to run some errands close to home but instead, found herself in the road – falling over her scooter and injuring herself. Remnants of the fall can still be seen in her eye.
“You can't go on the side because of the snow,” said Bershatsky. “You have to go right down the middle with cars coming both ways, and that's really terrifying. But that’s the only way to get around.”
Bershatsky says icy and impassable crosswalks are not just an inconvenience, but a sign of negligence by both the city and nearby property owners.
“The city should be ticketing people who don't clear fully or don't clear at all,” said Bershatsky. "I think it's their responsibility to do the crossings and they should do them. You could walk but what about all the people, baby carriages, walkers, wheelchairs, scooters. Why should we be prisoners?”
Since the Jan. 25 storm, DSNY says they have issued 953 summonses in Brooklyn.
Property owners are required to clear a path in the sidewalk at least four feet wide to allow pedestrians to pass. Snow and ice must be removed from around fire hydrants, sidewalk curb-cuts, ramps and bus stops. However, knowing that many property owners fail to do so, DSNY has stepped in to shovel tens of thousands of crosswalks, bus stops, etc.
While conditions have slowly gotten better as the days progress, she still finds herself paying for car services to travel as close as two blocks away.
It’s her new normal - until all of the snow and ice is finally gone.
“Obviously, I wish they would be good citizens,” said Bershatsky. “It's an affluent neighborhood. There’s nobody here who I think couldn’t afford to hire someone.
