Ask The City: Wheel Chair Ramps

The Question:

Why do most of the sidewalks in residential areas still not have access ramps? This is very limiting to those in wheelchairs, as well as dangerous to kids who ride their bikes on the sidewalk for safety reasons either due to age or construction.

"The City’s goal is to have a completely ADA-compliant sidewalk network throughout town – including removing mid-block obstacles as well as access ramps at intersections. Unfortunately, rebuilding sidewalks all at once would be extremely expensive, with estimates over 200 million dollars. The City does work with property owners to ensure that whenever an adjacent owner replaces a sidewalk for any reason, it is designed and built to be ADA-compliant, including ramps if the property in question is on a corner. City street projects also include ADA improvements whenever an ADA-deficient curb is removed. These policies have resulted in a slow but steady reduction in the number of non-compliant pedestrian ways in town."