The City of Eugene Public Works Department has conducted an evaluation of its public rights of way and drafted a transition plan that outlines how the organization will continue to comply with ADA regulations and provide to the extent possible safe access within the rights of way for all individuals.
Upon the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the City embarked on a comprehensive accessibility evaluation of its facilities. To date three such evaluations have been undertaken and completed in 1992, 2000, and 2008. After extensive public input, phase 1 of the City’s existing ADA Transition Plan, including a three fiscal-year schedule for completing prioritized accessibility projects, was approved in 1993. Subsequent phases of the existing plan have been prepared and implemented, with the existing 2012 plan representing phase 7. While a schedule for curb ramp installation has always been a part of each phase of the City’s existing plan, the intent of the current project is to ultimately draft a separate companion plan that more specifically and comprehensively addresses accessibility within the public rights of way.
As part of this new draft transition plan, Public Works collected detailed data on over 15,000 sidewalk ramps and 250 pedestrian signals to develop transition schedules specific to these facilities. In addition to the inventory of ramps and pedestrian signals and schedules, the transition plan for the public rights of way also includes a system of barrier removal prioritization, information on how to request barrier removals from the right-of-way facilities, and an appeals process.
An electronic copy is available on the City website at www.eugene-or.gov/adaplan. Paper copies of the draft transition plan for facilities in the public rights of way are also available at multiple locations: the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office (99 West 10th Ave, Suite 116), the Downtown Library (100 West 10th Avenue), the City Manager’s Office (125 East 8th Avenue, 2nd Floor), and Public Works Maintenance Office (1820 Roosevelt Boulevard).
The draft plan is available for public comment through May 31, 2015. Comments and questions may be submitted by e-mail to adaplan@ci.eugene.or.us or by calling (541)682-5277. Comment forms are also available at locations with paper copies of the plan. Assistance in filling out a comment form is available at the Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement Office (99 West 10th Ave, Suite 116).