Elgin parking not accessible enough

Every year we go down to Southern Illinois for my family reunion. Last year we drove through Herrin, Illinois, a small town of about 12,000 people. The sidewalks were crowded with people shopping and, more important, there were two accessible parking places on each side of the street for every block.

About 10 percent of Americans have mobility problems from just having to use a cane to steady themselves to electric carts for the more severely impaired.

I personally use a walker with a seat as my range is not all that great. If I were to go shopping to what remains of Elgin's downtown, there is little help for parking so that I can make it to any place.

In addition, the city recently painted a 30-minute limit on many parking places. If I wanted to go to a restaurant, see a lawyer, go to the bank I had better do it in 30 minutes or I could get a ticket. Add to that, there are no on-street accessible parking places.

There are some in the parking lot, the parking deck and in front of the post office and the police station, much too far for me and many others.

If Herrin, Illinois can accommodate people with disabilities why can't Elgin do it? The answer is that Elgin is not friendly to anyone except able-bodied people and the streets speak for themselves.

If a small town in Southern Illinois can provide for this situation, why can't Elgin?

Raleigh Sutton

Elgin