The city is one of many to face lawsuits for failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A court ordered the city of Baltimore to spend at least $44 million over the next four years on accessibility upgrades for the city’s sidewalks. The decree stems from a 2021 lawsuit.
As Danielle McLean explains in Smart Cities Dive, the agreement requires the city to “ implement new programs to make its public rights of way comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including a plan to alleviate sidewalk obstructions and improvements to the city’s 311 system allowing reports about inaccessible intersections and sidewalks.
In addition to building thousands of curb cuts and improving sidewalk conditions, the city os ordered to inspect its pedestrian walkways every 10 years, keep walkways clear of vegetation and overgrowth, prune obstructive trees, and other actions.
According to McLean, “The court-enforced agreement is considered a partial consent decree because the two sides will still negotiate a longer-term plan to bring the remaining sidewalks and curb ramps into ADA compliance.”
FULL STORY: Court orders Baltimore to spend $44M on sidewalk upgrades for ADA compliance
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