More than a decade after its passage, the Americans With Disabilities Act has had a noticeable impact — but there's still work to be done.
he was signed into law in 1990 and its accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities in 1991. The ADA, perhaps the nation's most important civil rights law since 1964, was enacted to ensure that disabled citizens enjoy the same rights and opportunities as all Americans, including access to everyday activities such as commerce, recreation, and travel. In fact, state and federal requirements for accessibility predate the ADA, but these early requirements were unevenly enforced. And while some disability rights advocates lament what they perceive as the ADA's weak enforcement and penalty provisions, the impact of this law is particularly evident in the built environment. That includes public spaces, transportation facilities and services, and public and private infrastructure all areas where planners have an influence.
Thanks to Planning Magazine Editor
Read the full story: What Difference Has the ADA Made?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
Nation's most wind-powered state turns to coal as data centers increase energy demand
For the first time in decades, Iowa has increased its generation of coal power.
NYC cools commuters with city's first rain garden above a bus stop
New York City officials say the plants in the rain garden can absorb 16 gallons of rainwater during heavy storms.
Brightline West’s future may rely on $6 billion federal loan
The company has until Nov. 2 to make a $400 million equity investment into its proposed high-speed rail line.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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Journal of the American Planning Association