New Voices: Investigative Citizen Journalism on ChicagoTalks

Investigative Citizen Journalism on ChicagoTalks

The results of a three-month investigation on Chicago Transportation Authority was recently published by ChicagoTalks.org. ChicagoTalks is a 2006 New Voices grantee.

A team of six Columbia College Chicago students visited all 144 stations along the line and found that 36 out of 88 stops - or 41 percent - that are supposed to be accessible were, in fact, not. On later visits, the student journalists found many of the same problems.

The students took a look at more than 2,000 American Disabilities Act-related complaints filed against the CTA from Jan. 1, 2004 through Feb. 28, 2009. Their findings included repeated reports of broken elevators and bus lifts as well as employees of the CTA swearing at passengers and denying access to several customers with service dogs, among other things.

The articles, published on ChicagoTalks.org and Beachwoodreporter.com are listed below.

Investigation Finds Handicapped Accessibility Issues Plague CTA by Zach Wilmes

Broken CTA Facilities, Slow Repairs Create Problems for Disabled Customers by Elizabeth Czupta

Complaints Against CTA Keep Climbing by Danielle Desjardins and Kaitlyn McAvoy

Injury and Equipment Breakdowns Continue to Trouble Some Disabled CTA Riders by Kirsten Steinbeck

Disabled Riders Experience Years of Inconsistency in CTA Service by Danielle Desjardins

Advisory Group Works to Improve Access for Disabled CTA Riders by Kirsten Steinbeck

ChicagoTalks Video: CTA Improves But Some Disabled Still Complain by Elizabeth Czupta

INVESTIGATION: Disabled And Downtown On The CTA by Eli Kaberon

INVESTIGATION: The Inaccessible CTA by Kaitlyn McAvoy

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