The NO KINGS rally in Beaufort last month brought out as many as 1,000 people to speak out against the actions and policies of President Donald Trump’s administration – including some, like cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, that will significantly impact those living with disabilities. But not everyone who attended to protest was able to access the Carteret County Courthouse grounds easily.
The rally was packed with hundreds of protesters, elbow to elbow on the relatively small green space in front of the Carteret County Courthouse. Light rain was already falling before the protest began, and it quickly became a deluge – which didn’t stop the crowd from growing.
One thing did, though make if difficult for one rallier to join.
“As I'm wheeling around, ironically in front of the courthouse, I can't dismount or get off the sidewalk because ... the mandated curb ramp is lacking, and I see right across from the entrance on either side, it's lacking there as well,” said Steven Hardy-Braz.
He was seriously injured in a bicycle accident in 2021, when an oncoming car hit him from behind. That crash threw him over the car and caused leg injuries that forced him to use a wheelchair and a walking cane.
“At least four kind spectators saw what I was going through, and they, too, were a bit dismayed. So, each one picked up my wheelchair with me in it, at a corner, and were kind enough to lift me up and put me down in the roadway so I could continue there, which was very nice of them and I appreciate the support,” he said, “But that doesn't really leave me with much dignity as an individual.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law 35 years ago -- on July 26, 1990 -- by President George H.W. Bush. It prohibits discrimination based on disability in various areas of public life and requires communities large and small to make sure public buildings, streets, sidewalks and services are accessible to all.
Beaufort Town Manager Matt Zapp said, “The gentleman was kind when he reported it. We went out and inspected it. I want to share with you that the county staff, the county's manager and assistant manager were tremendous because we weren't sure if it was on our side of the line or their side of the line. So, Carteret County was ready to address it, but it ended up being in the public right of way. Our public works team and our engineering staff found the resolve, we already had our contractors teed up to do other work and we just were able to knock it out within 14 days of the report.”
Hardy-Braz said he appreciates the quick action, and added, “This is how I think government should work, and so I'm glad that they were able to address it in, I think, a very reasonable amount of time. But it is disturbing that it still went unaddressed, proactively, for decades. Ironically enough, at the courthouse, of all places.”
The Farmville man is an outspoken advocate for cycling safety as well as improving accessibility for those with disabilities – advocacy that began long before he was injured.
He said in recent years, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has taken steps to fix thousands of non-compliance issues across the state.
“For the last two fiscal years, (NCDOT) has taken mandated Federal Highway Fund money that they were required to spend on safety, and they put out $2,000,000 each of the two years for each of the 14 divisions for ADA accessibility and they've made some strides in becoming more compliant on the curb ramps they’ve neglected for decades.”
Town Manager Zapp agrees that’s important for state, county, and local governments to make sure their communities are accessible to everyone. “Being the county seat, we get so many visitors, guests and residents that are utilizing these services,” he said, “Whether it's the farmers market Saturday to maybe they didn't adhere to the speed limit and they're popping their way into court or whatever it may be. We want to make sure that the public has access to all the county facilities as well as all town facilities. And we're working hand in glove to try to make that happen.”
In 2023, Hardy-Braz was found guilty of impeding traffic in Greenville after he sat in his wheelchair on South Memorial Drive to point out that more than a hundred of the city’s bus stops were not accessible. When he arrived to be booked at the Pitt County Detention Center, he learned the sidewalk leading to the jail wasn't accessible to his wheelchair. But he said strides have also been made locally.
“The city of Greenville has addressed a few here and there, and argued that they don't have to on some others,” Hardy-Braz said, “Pitt County has installed a couple miles of sidewalk to increase the access to their own headquarters. The town of Farmville, the public works director, when he has some extra money, attempts to correct some of the mistakes.”
And in Beaufort, Zapp said further compliance improvements are in the works. “We have a multi-million-dollar improvement that's needed on the waterfront, and we're searching and seeking funding for that today. Hopefully we do receive some grant work, and we have a mechanism for while boats pay rent here, where people are using those services, a certain percentage of those dollars and, going forward starting in 2026 when the town takes back over the docks, will be used to enhance and improve those facilities.” He said. “And we're extremely thrilled that we'll be able to address any ADA compliance issues that we encounter in that rebuild then.”
Generally, curb ramps are needed wherever a sidewalk or other pedestrian walkway crosses a curb. Whenever roads are rebuilt or repaved, the ADA requires ramps to be included in the project.
The Federal Highway Administration says without curb ramps, sidewalk travel can be dangerous, difficult, or even impossible for people who use wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility devices.
