ADA Ramp Fixed Before Project Completion
In January I brought you images of an ADA ramp under construction that, if completed, would ironically prevent the public sidewalk from being ADA compliant (see prior post). In addition to posting the information here, I bought the issue to the attention of several city officials who were able to intervene in the public’s interest.
Above is the situation from late January, with the wall for the ramp into a building entrance very close to the lamp post and the parking meter just out of view. This basically blocked the public sidewalk from being ADA compliant.
It wasn’t long before the contractor had the curving brick wall torn down and rebuilt so that it intruded less into the public right of way. The above is from 3/26/07 showing the area nearly complete.
Another view of the too-close wall and how little space it left for pedestrians on the sidewalk. Those using mobility scooters or wheelchairs would have had a nearly impossible time getting past this area.
Today the sidewalk works for pedestrians and the ADA ramp works for those entering the renovated building. It is nice to see things work out well in the end. I just hope that the city, designers and contractors will begin to pay more attention to these issues so that work must not be redone midstream.
I think it was an oversight on behalf of the developer. That being said, I’m glad you brought it to their attention so that they could fix it, which they did.
I’m sure if you didn’t, they would have finished the wall and be done with it.
You shouldn’t have to police construction sites, but in this case, on behalf of those needing ADA compliance, I’m glad you did.
Part of the solution is obviously “Honey, I shrunk the lamp post!” I wonder who paid for that – the developer or the city?!
Looks like a differnt lamp post from the original as well.
Why not regular concrete for the sidewalk? That granulated (grainy concrete) is annoying and ugly. Is there no standard for sidewalk improvements in St. Louis.
Hey, Steve, I’d like to suggest that you take a walk down Grand, the east side, btwn say Arsenal and Utah. There are a # of places a stroller can’t get thru b/c of the width of the sidewalk and things such as tree wells and bus shelters. If a stroller can’t get thru, I doubt a wheelchair would make it. These areas can’t be ADA compliant.
The two worst spots are just north of Utah and just north of Connecticut past Jay’s.
good luck,
ajay
There are many issues just in our neighborhood alone where the sidewalks are either buckled, cracked, or just plain gone. You could spend all your time just highlighting those. I agree, we need to concentrate on the replacements, making sure they are up to code and looking to incorporate possible future uses into them as well.
What I would like to see – is when any construction is going on that requires tearing up the sidewalk that they continue to take the pedestrian into account. How many times do you walk down the street & the sidewalk is torn up – and you’re forced to cut through the grassor mud or onto the street into busy traffic? NO consideration is made for those that might not be agile enough to do this – or in a wheelchair – seems like in other cities accomodations are put into place for the pedestrian. Ugh. Why is this so hard to consider? Especially in areas where lots of people walk/wheel (CWE, S. Grand, Downtown)????
c-: It’s just a matter of “culture” and rules (that are enforced). If our city leaders valued pedestrians, temporary walkways would be required, as would requiring property owners to maintain the sidewalks on their property. Obviously, it’s not a priority, since it’s not unusual to see sidewalks “under construction” around here for months at a time, not days . . .
Steve
Very interesting. I noticed that a similiar situation exists on the northwest corner of Cerre and 8th St near Bush Stadium. The builders left no room for pedestrians when they put in a sidewalk with a telephone pole in the center of it and a traffic box to the left (north) of the utility pole. I watched people walk into the street to navigate the area. Its funny that the developers, architects, designers, construction workers etc….can’t remedy a situation before they implement it. In this case, there was plenty of room north of the sidewalk (green space), but they built the sidewalk in the middle anyway.