Skip to content
Mead & Hunt Site Logo
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Menu
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Mead & Hunt Site Logo
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities
Menu
  • Markets
    • Aviation
    • Cultural Resources
    • Education
    • Federal
    • Food & Beverage
    • Justice
    • Renewable Energy
    • State & Local
    • Transportation
    • Water
  • Services
    • Architecture & Interiors
    • Construction Services
    • Engineering
    • Environmental
    • Fabrication & Custom Manufacturing
    • Planning
    • Sustainability & Resilience
    • Technology
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
    • Purpose & Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Locations
    • Our History
    • Events
  • Careers
    • Career Opportunities
    • Why Work Here?
    • Scholarship Opportunities

Why is ADA compliance important?

  • May 19, 2022
Share on LinkedIn
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Email
ADA compliance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics show that 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability. The CDC defines a disability as “any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).” Thus, 1 in 4 adults in the US have some type of disability, and in adults over 65, the number rises to 2 in 5. Having facilities that are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) impacts the lives of millions of people each day. These non-ADA compliant facilities are barriers for mobility and safe access for these vulnerable groups, and they also decrease safety for all users.


There are various user needs that must be accommodated.

Why should I care?

A quick Google search on ADA curb ramp compliance lawsuits will show you that more than 142 local governments have been named in lawsuits for failing to install and/or maintain sidewalks and curb ramps in compliance with the requirements of the ADA. The outcome of these lawsuits resulted in settlements where the local governments agreed to allocate funding to bring their sidewalks and curb ramps into compliance. The settlements ranged from a few million dollars to over $1.3 billion dollars.

Cities and states across the country are starting to allocate funds to investigate and address their facilities that are not ADA compliant. For example, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has recently solicited for consultant design services to investigate and develop plans to address hundreds of curb ramps in each region. WisDOT anticipates that each region will have one or two standalone projects each year that will address between 150 to 400 curb ramps each.

How can public entities protect themselves from these lawsuits?

Public entities can protect themselves from lawsuits by having a formal transition plan in place as spelled out in the Code of Federal Regulations 28 cfr 35.150 (d). The transition plan needs to contain at a minimum the following items:

  • An inventory of all facilities that limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals with disabilities.
  • A description of the detailed methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible.
  • The schedule for implementation, and if longer than one year, the steps that will be taken each year during the transition plan.
  • The official responsible for implementation of the plan.

Will the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provide funding for improving non-ADA compliant facilities?

According to the White House’s August 3, 2021, press release, the BIL includes:

  • $5 billion for the “Safe Streets for All” program to fund state and local plans and improvements to reduce crashes and fatalities for the most vulnerable of roadway users (pedestrians and bicyclists).
  • $2 billion for the Transit Station ADA program, which is broken down into:
    • $1.75 billion for All Stations Accessibility.
    • $250 million for Enhanced Mobility for Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities.
    • These two programs will remove barriers to transportation services and expand mobility options for individuals.

To determine your eligibility for this BIL funding, you will need to coordinate with either your local metropolitan planning organization (MPO) and/or your state Department of Transportation (DOT), depending on your local situation.

Key Takeaways

While millions of Americans currently live with a disability, there are still plenty of facilities that are not compliant with the standards of the ADA. This results in unnecessary barriers for this vulnerable group—along with potential costly lawsuits for owners of these facilities. However, public entities can protect themselves from these lawsuits with a formal transition plan as outlined in the in the Code of Federal Regulations 28 cfr 35.150 (d). There is also potential funding available in the BIL allocated to help improve non-ADA complaint facilities.

Chuck Karow headshot

Chuck Karow

As a Project Manager with extensive experience in the design, construction, and project management of complex transportation infrastructure projects, Chuck leverages three decades of previous WisDOT experience to skillfully manage design and construction projects of state and federal highway systems. When not at work, you can find Chuck enjoying time with family and friends, reading and/or planning the family’s next vacation.

Linkedin Envelope
PrevPrevious
NextNext

Most Popular

FAA Reauthorization – How to Play a Part
March 24, 2023
What’s to Like about the New Federal Building Performance Standard?
March 23, 2023
Quick-Build Case Studies Included in ITE Tech Brief
March 23, 2023
Giving Back to Engineering Through Non-Profit Work
March 21, 2023

Main Menu

  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers
  • Home
  • Markets
  • Services
  • Portfolio
  • News
  • About
  • Careers

Useful Links

  • Ebids
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • U.S. Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage
  • Ebids
  • Equipment & Parts
  • GSA Schedules Program
  • U.S. Government Contract Vehicles
  • Policy for Third-Party Recruiters
  • Transparency in Coverage

Get in touch

  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI
  • Apply Today
  • Contact Us
  • Locations
  • Title VI

Connect with us

Linkedin Facebook Twitter Instagram Vimeo

© 2023 Mead & Hunt, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Privacy & CCPA Policy
  • Do Not Sell
  • Site Map
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Read full privacy policy
ACCEPTREJECTSETTINGS
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo