Americans with disablities Act

S23246G · Senior Member

Americans with disablities Act

Patrick · Senior Member

The City of Arkansas City has, just in the past couple of years, contracted an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) advisory engineer to help bring the city up to date and point out the things we need to do to stay in compliance. One of the items the advisor did was create a 10 year plan to bring the city compliance and keep us there. There is also a new local ADA board that was put together just this past year to help direct the city on the needs of the public and advice from people with disabilities. This board is made up of Arkansas City residents with disabilities or have family members with disabilities.

For more detailed information on the business that inspected the city and helped to create the ADA compliance plan, or information on our local ADA board, I would recommend contacting the city. The person with the most information on this would be the Assistant to the City Manager, Zach Mohr.

Patrick McDonald
Arkansas City Commissioner

nacho mama · Newbie

Seems I remember reading in the Traveler that the city hired some guy to come here and go over the town concerning ADA requirements.
He gave the city a big report about what all is needed.
Seemed to me that the city was at least working on it.
All this can't happen over night.

Patrick · Senior Member

S23246G wrote:

Looks like we will be next. Too bad the city fathers couldn't have taken the proper steps to have ramps and such installed in the new street project. Too much time and money spent on plants to worry about those pesky handicapped people I guess.

The new street project does include the proper ADA compliance. The access is on the avenues at the end of each block on Summit. The painting has not been done yet mostly due to weather (along with the No Bicycle or Skateboard signs). Using the end versus the middle of the block there are more access points available and they are closer to the majority of businesses (2 ends vs. 1 middle). It is just as far from the middle to each end as it is from the end to the middle.

If you have any questions concerning ADA compliance I would suggest you contact the city's ADA board, or the Assistant to the City Manager, Zach Mohr.

I recommend that anytime there is a question on how things are done with the city or if they are done properly to contact the department in question and get the correct information. If anyone ever has trouble finding the right department to speak to they should feel free to contact myself, other city commissioners, or city hall.

Patrick McDonald
Arkansas City Commissioner

S23246G · Senior Member

Did I overlook ramps on some corners? I don't remember any van access parking places either. And are the people in wheelchairs supposed to go out into traffic to get around the outcroppings at the end of the block? I would think that if a board was put together last year (before the project was completed) then they should have seen this coming and fixed it BEFORE the streetscape project was finished (when it wouldn't cost us so much).

redd rover · Senior Member

Quote:The new street project does include the proper ADA compliance. The access is on the avenues at the end of each block on Summit. The painting has not been done yet mostly due to weather (along with the No Bicycle or Skateboard signs). Using the end versus the middle of the block there are more access points available and they are closer to the majority of businesses (2 ends vs. 1 middle). It is just as far from the middle to each end as it is from the end to the middle.

I can see there are handicapped spaces on the avenues on each end of the block, but does it leave ample space width wise for a passenger to get out of a vehicle? And if this passenger can get out of the vehicle he/she would have to enter the lane of traffic to access the ramp.
Because I do have a friend that is handicapped I understand the problems that comes with this type of disability. I see that down on a South Summit block that has the hospital supply store they made accomadations for a handicapped person mid block. It works so well. The space is wide enough for the passenger to get out of the vehicle and the ramp is close so they don't have to get out into the traffic. Much safer for them. The girl I know that is handicapped has to shop at Walmart most of the time because they have sufficient parking for the handicapped and easier access.
As another poster mentions, these changes can't happen overnight. But when constructing new areas the handicapped should be our first priority.

-- Edited by redd rover at 22:29, 2007-07-20

Patrick · Senior Member

I'm afraid I am at a loss.

I've given the explanation and I admit I don't have the education or experience in the field to know what is needed.

You don't believe the engineers who designed it and had to put in all of the federal requirements that were necessary to be approved for the grant that paid for the job.

I don't have any better source. If you have knowledge that these other people do not have you need to bring it to light. The system would need a major overhaul for all of the different entities (the architect, the state engineers, the grant engineers, and the ADA compliance engineer) to have missed it.

I honestly can't say for myself whether it is the bumpout design, the width of the avenues, the parallel parking, the traffic flow, or any number of other things alone or in combination that make it compliant but the city has been assured by these entities that it was done properly.

If you still disagree with the planning involved, please contact the city ADA board through the Assistant to the City Manager, Zach Mohr. They will be able to continue to research the situation and perhaps come up with additional help.

Patrick McDonald
Arkansas City Commissioner

redd rover · Senior Member

http://www.ada.gov/error.htm

This is a site I found that has some info on it. Not really all the info I would like to have but it is a start.

redd rover · Senior Member

While driving though Winfield this weekend I noticed the kind of handicapped spaces I was talking about. It was mid block, van accessable, and a ramp was made from the street to make that parking spot accessable for those who are not ambulitory. I can see that Winfield is slowly making progress on making it easier for our disabled citizens.
I know this subject is one that I might seem to rant about but watching those I love with unecessary boundries breaks my heart. Put a fence down the block of Summit. Make all citizens walk around. Eventually gates would be put in for them. The public outcry would be huge. I only ask for the same consideration for my loved ones. Van acessable spaces. At least one or two spaces in each block on Summit with ramps NEAR the spaces that keep them out of traffic and harms way. No uncessary obsticles for those who are blind. Signage that can be seen above vehicles so they can be seen. Signage on the streets so that it can be defined handicapped. The rain has been gone for a while now. It is time to get this done. I see the signs for bike and skateboards have made it on the sidewalks. I would think that the handicapped spaces would be priority. Two guys and a stencil could get this done in a month or so.

Patrick · Senior Member

redd rover wrote:

While driving though Winfield this weekend I noticed the kind of handicapped spaces I was talking about. It was mid block, van accessable, and a ramp was made from the street to make that parking spot accessable for those who are not ambulitory. I can see that Winfield is slowly making progress on making it easier for our disabled citizens.
I know this subject is one that I might seem to rant about but watching those I love with unecessary boundries breaks my heart. Put a fence down the block of Summit. Make all citizens walk around. Eventually gates would be put in for them. The public outcry would be huge. I only ask for the same consideration for my loved ones. Van acessable spaces. At least one or two spaces in each block on Summit with ramps NEAR the spaces that keep them out of traffic and harms way. No uncessary obsticles for those who are blind. Signage that can be seen above vehicles so they can be seen. Signage on the streets so that it can be defined handicapped. The rain has been gone for a while now. It is time to get this done. I see the signs for bike and skateboards have made it on the sidewalks. I would think that the handicapped spaces would be priority. Two guys and a stencil could get this done in a month or so.

I honestly don't know why the handicapped spaces have not been marked yet. I could guess, but I'd rather not. I'll try to find out as soon as I can. In the past week or so, the new ADA board did come up with some possible suggestions as to further improvements for parking. I believe they still agree that the city is within compliance, but there could be possible improvements in 3 or maybe 4 spots. They still suggest the ends of the blocks though as that provides more spots and it is just as close from the end to the middle as middle to end.

Patrick McDonald

tala · Member

Speaking of disablitiy requirements...has anyone using a wheelchair tried using the lavatory in Bricks resturant? It's hard enough for a medium sized person to use the facilities, just enough to turn around and sit.
Theres no way that someone with physical disabilities could use that restroom.

S23246G · Senior Member

tala wrote:

Speaking of disablitiy requirements...has anyone using a wheelchair tried using the lavatory in Bricks resturant? It's hard enough for a medium sized person to use the facilities, just enough to turn around and sit.
Theres no way that someone with physical disabilities could use that restroom.

There's probably not much you can do except not eat there. That building was built in the stone age (or the brick age), before people thought much about things like that, and definitely before government got involved in the issue.

But, now that I think about it, I have seen where people have sued because of just such an issue. I can't recall what program I saw it on, but there was one guy out in California who made a living off of going into businesses in his wheelchair, and then suing them if all things weren't up to code. Pretty CS if you ask me, but that's how I know about it. Maybe if you approached Bricks, or if someone relays this post to them, they will see what they can do.

Outoftowner · Newbie

Stores that were built before a certain time, or only have a certain number of employees are exempt, from being up to code. There is something called undue hardship in the law, that says if they are a small business and it would cost them to much to change then they can be excused. I am sure that bricks would qualify for this.

redd rover · Senior Member

outoftowner wrote:Stores that were built before a certain time, or only have a certain number of employees are exempt, from being up to code. There is something called undue hardship in the law, that says if they are a small business and it would cost them to much to change then they can be excused. I am sure that bricks would qualify for this.

Would the hospital qualify for this? Just wondering...........

redd rover · Senior Member

City tackles parking issues

Photo by Donita Clausen
click image to enlarge

By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

City workers today painted handicapped symbols on parking spaces near Summit Street on downtown avenues to complete the streetscape project.

But these spaces may not be enough to meet the needs of the handicapped in Arkansas City, a member of the city's Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) committee said today.

Two handicapped spaces on each avenue from Adams to Chestnut have been installed -- one space on the east side of Summit and one on the west. Workers painted the spaces blue using stencils with the handicapped symbol and curbing alongside the space also are painted blue.

Gary Baugher, public work superintendent, said today that installing the handicapped spaces was one of the last steps of the streetscape project. Other final tasks to complete the project included striping "stop" bars at stop signs and pedestrian crosswalks, he said.

But a written proposal by the ADA committee is asking for more handicapped spaces on Summit Street, said Zach Mohr, assistant to the city manager and coordinator for the ADA committee.

"We wrote a proposal," said James Fry, a member of the ADA committee and manager of the ACES program at Cowley College.

"We asked that they cut all curbs out there (closer to handicapped spaces) so people in wheelchairs aren't put out in the road."

The bump-outs in the streetscape design were extended too far out into the street, requiring care givers of handicapped people to wheel them out on Summit Street, he said. They would have to go around the bump-out to reach the access ramp.

Other Arkansas City residents also have complained there may not be enough handicapped access.

"The engineers on the downtown streetscape project believe avenue parking is sufficient," Mohr said. "But yes, I've heard that some people don't think it's sufficient.

"Accessible parking is important, but ultimately it's a policy decision made by the city."

Mayor Dotty Smith said today that the streetscape project was professionally designed according to ADA requirements.

"There is limited parking space on Summit so we put the handicapped spaces on the avenues," Smith said. "Merchants would not be happy if we eliminated more parking.

"We have to balance the needs of the handicapped with the needs of the rest of the community that needs parking."

The city may look into installing one or two handicapped spaces on Summit -- at the old loading dock near the Burford, for example, to give the handicapped better access, she added.

Above: Arkansas City Street Department employee Jeff Sorrell paints a handicap parking zone symbol Tuesday.

Please tell me that the paper misquoted you Dotty Smith. Do you have any family members that are handicapped? Are your thoughts that those that are handicapped should be placed farther out from the mainstream just to keep the merchants happy? The old loading dock by the Burford? That is a start. THERE NEEDS TO BE ONE HANDICAP VAN ACCESSIBLE PARKING SPACE AT LEAST ON EVERY BLOCK ON EVERY SIDE OF SUMMIT!!! My suggestion would be to put it in the center and with the ones on the avenues it would be a start. Then all you would need to do is cut the curb and design the ramps from all of the parking spaces mentioned.Sure would have been easier if it had been done pre-construction. Please listen to our requests.

redd rover · Senior Member

Do we have our ducks in a row??????

City Settles Lawsuit Alleging Violation of Disabilities Act

var wn_last_ed_date = getLEDate("Jul17,2007,7:28 AM EST"); document.write(wn_last_ed_date);July 17, 2007 06:28 AM CDT

by Linda MaresThe city of Winfield settles a lawsuit claiming the city lacks appropriate disability access. The lawsuit, filed by the Kansas disabilities coalition, claims Winfield violates the Americans With Disabilities Act because it doesn't have things like appropriate handicap parking, restrooms, or ramps. The city says they were working on these things before the lawsuit, but have since created a set of guidelines because of it. They have agreed to make the city compliant with the law within the next ten years. Dee Winter, the Winfield resident who started the lawsuit says the city has made a lot of changes, but she wants to see more. "I'm a paraplegic. I have no feeling from the waist down. If I fall out of my chair, who's going to stop to pick me up? It takes away my independence," says Winter.The same group sued the city of Wichita three years ago for having more than 3,000 violations within the Americans With Disabilities Act. Since then, a committee was formed to work with the group and make the city more handicap accessible.

Patrick · Senior Member

I'm not sure that anyone has noticed, and if they have it has not been mentioned, but the handicapped spaces have been painted in at the intersections of Summit. The signs have not yet come in, but the painting and marking is finished.

There are now 4 handicapped spaces at each intersection. This is much more than we had before. The spaces were chosen at the end of the intersections mostly for engineering reasons, partly for other advantages.

I know that no matter what is done it will never be enough, but some of these things seem to make sense.

If there is 1 space in the middle of the block then that limits the number of spaces, and you would still have to go 1/2 a block each way to cover the block. With the spaces at the end of the block you can always park within 1/2 block of what you are looking for. And there are 4 times as many spaces available.

The city is still looking at some other possible options. It may never be enough, but there is more and closer parking to everything downtown than I have ever seen in any other town.

There may not be a space in front of the store that you visit most, but everyone has different needs. If you need something in front of a specific store, you might also contact that store. I believe the property owners have the right to alter the curb for specific needs.

Anyone can approach the ADA and Traffic boards to act further if necessary.

-- Edited by Patrick at 17:28, 2007-09-14