View a version with extended audio description: They Took Sledgehammers to Sidewalks – Here’s Why

View a version without interpretation: They Took Sledgehammers to Sidewalks – Here’s Why

Accessible Descriptive Transcript available for download:  Curb Cut Effect-Curb Cuts Downloadable Descriptive Transcript (14.1 KB)

Curb cuts—those small ramps at the edge of sidewalks—are now a standard part of city design, but they didn’t exist until disability rights advocates demanded them. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, students with disabilities at the University of California, Berkeley began organizing for better access to public spaces. They pushed for changes to the built environment and, in some cases, took to the streets—using sledgehammers to create their own curb cuts or chaining themselves to buses. They chanted "access is a civil right!" at sit-ins and brought attention to an issue that had been long overlooked, making our shared spaces more accessible for all. Today, curb cuts not only support people with disabilities but also benefit parents with strollers, travelers with luggage, cyclists, and delivery workers—proving that inclusive design helps everyone.