“I was only in there a minute” is the excuse that non-disabled individuals often use when their vehicle is parked in a handicap spot or has blocked an access aisle to a building.

Meanwhile, Routt County families with mobility impaired individuals and the legal need for handicap parking spots have circled the parking lot, waited up to 20 minutes or backed up other traffic while waiting for the designated safe spot.

“It’s more of the inaction of folks and laziness,” said Vicki Hagen.

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Hagen’s son Wilder, 6, has used a wheelchair since he was 2 due to the neurological disorder cerebral palsy.

“As we are getting into the tourist season and snow, the amount of parking available dwindles because of snow removal practices and spots that are actually useable or are being abused,” she said.

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Disability advocates have many stories and photos to show the difficulties of getting to appointments, services and businesses in Steamboat Springs. The situations range from a person going into a business to pick up a pizza while blocking two handicap parking spaces and the adjacent access aisle, to a shopper who said “I don’t work here” when the family asked her not to leave her shopping cart in the handicap parking space.

Hagen frequently encounters blank stares or defensiveness from others when she tries to explain the logistical and space needs to help Wilder navigate in his wheelchair. If the Hagens have to park somewhere other than a handicap accessible spot, those other locations are not cleared well for wheelchair access.

“You can’t really move a wheelchair, whether it is powered or manual, in deep snow. Anything above two to three inches makes it challenging,” Hagen said.

Hagen and disability rights advocate Alexia Gruis, who uses a wheelchair part of the time, said navigating their way to services in Steamboat requires triple the amount of time during the snowy season. The variety of challenges range from businesses using handicap spaces for snow storage to vehicles parked into the access aisle so that disabled individuals cannot get out of their vehicles. Depending on whether a vehicle has a handicap ramp, 4 to 6 feet of clearance is needed.

“A lot of times in the winter there is one way in and one way out to a business because of blocked curb cuts, snow in the handicap spot and illegal parking,” said Gruis, 28, who suffers from a chronic illness. “It’s all of these factors combined making it an impossible situation to solve for the disabled person.”

“For us it’s not only that you are trying to find a handicap spot that is available, but you are also trying to figure out a path and how many snow berms,” said Hagen, who also has a 3-year-old son. “In the winter, the access is reduced quite a bit.”

The disability advocates continue to educate not only for their families but for everyone who may be disabled one day, even temporarily, due to health conditions, injury, surgery or older age. They note that disabled individuals who cannot find safe access may face increased social anxiety and avoid outings.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12.2% of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs, and 28.7% of people have some form of disability.

The advocates encourage residents to show through their actions and etiquette that Routt County is a disabled inclusive community. Gruis advises that when residents meet someone with a disability, “presume competence while offering accommodations.”

Steamboat Springs Police Department Patrol Sgt. Tony Lima noted the ticket for illegally parking in a handicap spot is $100, no matter the length of time or if the spot is on public or private property. The sergeant said citizens are welcome to call in such violations to the police, although sometimes vehicles are moved before police can arrive.

The Routt County Built Environment Coalition, a project started in March by the county public health department, continues to work to collect data, seek funding and complete projects to promote a safe, connected and accessible built environment in the county. The multi-sector coalition, led by Public Health Educator Madysen Linsacum, includes representatives from municipal, school and nonprofit entities.

The coalition is working to create an inventory of areas of opportunity for improvement within each municipality and hopes to release a story map report by summer 2025 as a community resource.

“There are many people in our county that utilize accessible parking spaces, and it is important to ensure these spaces are available and unobstructed for people who need to use them at all times,” Linsacum said. “In order for these spaces to be used as intended, the accessible parking spaces and the access aisles should be clear.”

Anyone who would like to help with or provide input to the coalition can email mlinsacum@co.routt.co.us.