US official lauds RTA’s accessibility features

Dubai — a new york city official and champion of people of determination praised the role and innovative approach of the roads and transport authority (rta) in making dubai an accessible city.

Delivering his keynote address at the 10th dubai award for sustainable transport on wednesday, victor calise, commissioner at new york city (nyc) mayor’s office for people with disabilities, said he is pleased with the rta’s projects in improving access for persons with disabilities and its commitment to making the city roads fully accessible to people of determination by 2020.

Calise, who sustained a lifechanging spinal cord injury in 1994, said the rta’s innovative approach to developing tools that will improve the lives of people with disabilities is setting an example for other global cities to follow.

The lack of infrastructure for people of determination is a global challenge. he said: “as commissioner of the nyc mayor’s office for people with disabilities, i am working tirelessly to make new york the most accessible city in the world.” calise advises the nyc mayor on issues affecting over 900,000 new yorkers and six million visitors with a disability. he noted that both dubai and new york are “on the cusp of a new technological revolution that will profoundly change the way people will go about their daily lives.” angel@khaleejtimes.com

Dubai and New York are on cusp of a new technological revolution that will change the way people will go about their daily lives.” Victor Calise, commissioner, NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities