Asset Management for ADA Compliance Using Advanced Technologies

DATE: 
Friday, February 20, 2009, 12:00pm to 1:00pm PST
SPEAKERS: 
Franz Loewenherz, Senior Transportation Planner, City of Bellevue, WA

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The video begins at 8:13.

Abstract:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides comprehensive civil right protections to individuals with disabilities. ADA Title II requires every state and local government to prepare a self-evaluation plan to identify program access issues. From this, a transition plan is required showing policies and practices to achieve a barrier free environment. Although transition plans are required by the ADA, few cities have complied due to the high cost and complexity of conducting an accurate grade, cross-slope, and slab-to-slab faulting inventory assessment of their pedestrian facilities. Public works departments now are facing increased pressure to determine cost-effective and efficient methods for compliance with ADA accessibility standards. Failure to properly manage ADA compliance has proven costly to many cities throughout the country due to an increasing amount of litigation. The Bellevue Transportation Department decided to take a progressive approach to managing ADA compliance under a pilot program made possible by the Federal Highway Administration. The Ultra-Light Inertial Profiler (ULIP) is a specially-equipped Segway with an inertial profiling hardware sensor box that includes a displacement measurement laser, three accelerometers, an optical trigger, a gyroscope, and a distance measurement instrument. Together, these devices enable the City to capture highly accurate location-specific information about sidewalk slope and small surface variations that can make a sidewalk difficult to navigate. Mr. Loewenherz will describe the Bellevue sidewalk and curb ramp methodology, and in particular the ULIP technology, as a means of responding to ADA compliance requirements. Member Interest: Transportation agencies nationwide are challenged with meeting provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). City officials are tasked with developing a comprehensive inventory of pedestrian facilities that identifies non-compliant locations and remedial repairs to bring facilities into compliance. The ULIP technology provides a promising method for agencies and other entities in meeting the inventory requirements of the ADA. Learning Objectives: At the end of this SESSION, participants will be able to: (List three learning objectives) 1. Identify ADA compliance requirements of completing a self-evaluation plan. 2. Describe data collection process for conducting a comprehensive inventory of pedestrian facilities. 3. Identify basic elements of the Ultra-Light Inertial Profiler technology - components of profiler, how equipment works, what data are collected.

Mr. Loewenherz is the project manager of the City of Bellevue Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Sidewalk & Curb Ramp Inventory. He is overseeing the pilot program with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) that is assessing the applicability of Ultra-Light Inertial Profiler (ULIP) technology in identifying existing sidewalk and ramp facilities that limit access for persons with disabilities. The project is identified as a best practice in Asset Management Approaches to ADA Compliance (NCHRP 20-07 Task 249), a National Cooperative Highway Research Program study, see: http://www.bellevuewa.gov/pdf/Transportation/ada_report_summary0708.pdf.