Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is part of Project Civic Access, a federal initiative to make public facilities accessible. Making the changes necessary for compliance has been challenging for the city.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is finding compliance with a 2015 Americans with Disabilities Act settlement agreement to be costlier and more time-consuming than expected, reports B.A. Morelli:
The single biggest line item in a four-year settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to make city of Cedar Rapids public facilities accessible for all has been installing or replacing 3,800 curb ramps to meet federal standards. Minor deviations from the specifications can torpedo a project.
When the curb ramp replacements started, only 65 percent met the required standards. The city started training contractors and inspectors, and city officials say now 90 percent of the ramps are compliant.
Still, just over half of the curb ramps have been replaced, with 1,850 remaining. The agreement required the work be completed by next year, but the city plans to request another two years to finish it. In addition, the cost is expected to increase from an initial estimate of $15 million to $30 million.
FULL STORY: Complying with disabilities act will take Cedar Rapids longer

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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