TACOMA, Wash. — Cerebral palsy prevents Blake Geyen from walking or talking, but that did not stop him from taking action when he saw a problem.
Geyen got frustrated last year while riding his wheelchair from the bus stop to the Pierce County Elections Office.
To get across South 35th Street meant crossing without a crosswalk, riding along the shoulder of the street, and entering the county property through the parking lot.
Geyen is not able to fill out a traditional ballot, so to vote he must do it in person with the county.
He and his mother made a video showing the journey and put it on Twitter.
Kurtis Kingsolver, Tacoma’s Public Works Director, said the city and county knew about the issue, but said Geyen’s video helped make the work a priority.
A crosswalk, a wheelchair ramp, and a section of sidewalk were installed this spring and summer between the county facility and Geyen’s bus stop.
A sidewalk will be installed to replace a gravel path to another nearby bus stop by the elections headquarters in time for the November election.
“I am very pleased,” said Geyen, “It’s really important everyone has an equal opportunity to vote. Giving access to voting is the bedrock of our democracy.”
“Every voice in our country should be heard,” said Geyen.
Complaints by Krystal Monteros, vice-chair of the Tacoma Area Commission on Disabilities, have resulted in improvements at several intersections and crosswalks in Tacoma.
She encourages people like Geyen to raise concerns.
“All you have to do is get people to speak up,” Monteros said. “Wherever you want to go, you can go, as long as you speak up.”