Paving the Way to Inclusivity: The Positive Impact of ADA-Compliant Roadways 

The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990 marked a watershed moment in civil rights history. Prior to this landmark legislation, which “prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else,” Americans with disabilities lacked legal protections and accommodations. This law represents the culmination of decades of advocacy by the Disability Rights Movement and ushered in a new era of inclusivity and accessibility. 

Accessibility in transportation is a crucial aspect of the ADA. In a country where one in four people have a disability, reliable access to sidewalks, roadways, and public transit is vital. Prior to 1990 most public transit lacked essential infrastructure like unobstructed paths of travel, boarding ramps, curb ramps, and accessible bus shelters. As a result, people with disabilities were frequently denied their right to safe travel. Title II and III of the ADA requires state and local governments to ensure that people with disabilities have access to pedestrian routes in public spaces. Key components have since been added to public infrastructure to guarantee accessibility. Some common additions include: 

Ramps  

Public transit vehicles such as train cars and buses must be equipped with a “lift or ramp to allow individuals with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs, to board safely.” Additionally, doors, steps, and thresholds must have slip-resistant surfaces to ensure passenger safety. 

Curb Cuts  

Curb cuts (or curb ramps) are sloped transitions between sidewalks and streets, and are designed to accommodate wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and other mobility devices. By eliminating the sharp drop between the curb and the street, curb cuts allow people with disabilities to safely cross at any pedestrian crosswalk. Without these essential modifications, “sidewalk travel in urban areas can be dangerous, difficult, or even impossible for people with disabilities.” 

Accessible Pedestrian Signals (APS)  

APS are “integrated devices that communicate information about the walk and don’t walk intervals at signalized intersections to pedestrians who are blind or have low vision.” These systems use auditory and voice signals to guide pedestrians safely across the street. 

Sidewalk and Pavement Surfaces  

To accommodate wheelchairs, sidewalks need to have a minimum width of 5 feet and should be constructed using durable concrete that is free from cracks and bumps, and include transition indicators and fluorescent striping. They should also incorporate curb ramps and APS at pedestrian crosswalks to ensure comprehensive accessibility.

People with disabilities should have full access to the public resources that are available to the non-disabled population. In the United States 12.2% of adults have a mobility disability, 6.2% are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing, and 5.5% have a vision disability with blindness or difficulty seeing—that is over 70 million people. Simple things like commuting to work, running errands, accessing healthcare, doing hobbies, or visiting friends and family becomes more difficult if you can’t get there safely. If a sidewalk is uneven or cracked, a wheelchair user can have trouble accessing a public building or community park. It can create a tripping hazard for someone with low vision. If there isn’t a curb cut or APS at a crosswalk, how can someone who is blind safely cross the street? When infrastructure is built to accommodate their needs, it allows for more independence. Streets and public transportation are meant to connect a community, and that connectivity should be reliable and accommodating for everyone.  

Milhouse understands the importance of incorporating accessibility features for people with disabilities in engineering design. We consistently undertake projects that enhance and implement ADA-compliant solutions. Recent examples include the 143rd & Ridgeland Intersection Improvements and Streetscape at 71st Street, projects which significantly improved ADA accessibility at their respective locations. Our designs feature ADA-compliant curbs, ramps, and bus pads, as well as resurfaced streets and sidewalks. We also added reflective markings and APS at crosswalks to enhance safety and usability.

Cities must invest resources into designing and building ADA-compliant travel paths and transportation infrastructure. Progress has been made since the passage of the ADA, but there is still a long way to go. A recent study found that out of 401 surveyed governments, only 54 had ADA transition plans readily available, with just seven of those plans meeting all the minimum requirements. 65% of curb ramps and 48% of sidewalks were also found to be inaccessible. Progress is moving in the right direction, however. 

In Chicago less than 6% of CTA stations were accessible prior to 1990. Now, 100% of the city’s bus and rail fleet are accessible, with a plan to make all stations vertically accessible by 2038. The ongoing All Stations Accessibility program has already resulted in six newly accessible stations that will open in 2025. Milhouse completed civil engineering work to improve accessibility at the new Washington/Wabash CTA station in Chicago. Our services included designing wider sidewalks, integrating escalators, and managing pavement surfacing removal and replacement. These enhancements ensured that the new station became a functional and inclusive “people space” for all users.

Milhouse has been involved in another long-running initiative with the Chicago Department of Transportation, providing Phase III construction engineering services for the Arterial Street Resurfacing and ADA ramp program. We constructed ADA-compliant ramps and concrete placements for bus pads and facilitated the replacement of curbs and sidewalks and installed regulatory signage and traffic control- changes that improved accessibility and safety in the surrounding neighborhoods. 

To create an accessible community for everyone, cities must continue investing in ADA-compliant infrastructure and transportation. Ensuring ADA compliance in sidewalks, crosswalks, public transit, and other infrastructure removes obstacles that have prevented people with disabilities from enjoying independent mobility in the past. Cities must remain committed to upgrading their infrastructure, developing robust transition plans, and enforcing ADA standards. Only then can we truly create welcoming, inclusive communities.