The city will survey every one of its 37,000 street corners for compliance.
To settle a class-action lawsuit brought by disabled residents, the city of Portland has pledged to upgrade more than 16,000 sidewalk ramps citywide.
The city will also survey every street corner to ensure compliance with the American Disabilities Act, and begin including sidewalk ramps in new road construction, Gordon Friedman writes in Oregon Live. A technical adviser will be appointed to oversee the city's progress over the next 12 years.
The changes come in response to a lawsuit brought by wheelchair users and disability rights advocates, who charged the city with failing to comply with the ADA. Many cities have faced similar suits as they struggle to keep up with badly needed sidewalk repair–"but Portland is a particularly egregious offender," Friedman reports. In 2012, fewer than half of the city's street corners were outfitted with a ramp.
FULL STORY: Portland to settle with wheelchair users for $113 million in sidewalk fixes
Why Accessible Sidewalks Fall by the Wayside
Despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act more than 30 years ago, most U.S. cities delay making accessibility improvements to sidewalks until activists bring them to court.
New Orleans Facing ADA Lawsuit for State of Sidewalks and Lack of Curb Cuts
The city of New Orleans' compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act compliance is too little, too late, according to the plaintiffs in a new lawsuit.
ADA Compliance Slowly Makes Headway
Decades of advocacy are paying off, but it often takes legal action to force cities to make accessibility improvements mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act over thirty years ago.
The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.
Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.
Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.
How San Diego Camping Ban Could Impact Neighborhoods
An ordinance supported by the city’s mayor would bar people from sleeping on the street near shelters or services, but critics say it will simply push people to other neighborhoods and put them farther away from the supportive services they need.
Expanding Access to Golf in South Los Angeles
L.A. County’s Maggie Hathaway Golf Course getting up to $15 Million from U.S. Open Community Legacy Project to expand access to the sport in South L.A.
Opinion: Failed Housing Bills Could Signal California-Style Housing Crisis in Texas
Legislators in a state that so often touts its policies as the opposite of California’s defeated several bills that would have made housing construction easier, leading to concerns that a constricted housing market may exacerbate the housing crisis.
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Bangor
Park City Municipal Corporation
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
