Hagerstown, Indiana post office not wheelchair accessible HAGERSTOWN, Ind. (WISH) – For Ed Bell, the first step to deliver a package can be too much to overcome on his own.  He was paralyzed in 1982. Even though he’s still able to maintain his farm, if he wants to drop something off or p ick something up inside the Hagerstown post office, he can’t. Because the entrance to the Hagerstown post office is not wheelchair accessible.  “People like me can’t get in,” Bell said.  If he needs help, Bell calls the post office so an employee can meet him on the sidewalk. Or he asks someone to go inside for him.   “If this building was owned by anyone else other than the federal government, it would be accessible,” Bell said.  The only option for people in wheelchairs, parents pushing strollers, or seniors who struggle with steps is a freight lift at the back entrance of the post office, next to the dumpster.  “It’s indignant, it’s insulting, I’m not going to do that,” Bell said.  The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) tells Indiana’s I-Team its facilities fall under the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA), rather than the more widely known Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became law in 1990.  USPS maintains there’s a broad exemption for its older buildings.  “Facilities that have not been altered since 1969 are not subject to ABA standards,” a USPS spokesperson said in an email. They did not know how many facilities lack wheelchair access.  That exemption did not hold up in court when a woman sued USPS over the lack of a wheelchair ramp at the Shelbyville, Indiana post office. A judge ruled “the refusal to make a post office wheelchair-accessible should be deemed ‘discrimination’ under the Rehabilitation Act”, and USPS installed a ramp in 2024. Bell doesn’t feel like he should have to go to court to get access.  Indiana’s I-Team brought the issue to Republican Congressman Jefferson Shreve, who represents Hagerstown. He promised to address the issue.  “Citizens should be able to access the federal services they rely on,” Rep. Shreve said in a statement. “My office is digging into the concern that’s been raised in Hagerstown. We’re working to get it resolved. I stand ready to assist any constituent who may need help with a federal agency or services.” Bell said a staffer from Shreve’s office has reached out since Indiana’s I-Team contacted Shreve. He hopes this finally delivers results.  “I hope somebody listens.” ...read more read less