Accessible Cities

Mixed Methods Evaluation of ADA Transition Plans and Best Practices

Description

People with disabilities encounter numerous barriers in the public rights-of-way, which includes sidewalks, curb ramps, crosswalks, and pedestrian signals. In addition, there is a lack of understanding on where local governments are in their progress towards barrier removal. This research addresses the lack of knowledge around the status of planning and removal of barriers in the pedestrian environment.

This research involved a mixed-methods approach including a systematic evaluation of ADA transition plans for the public rights-of-way, interviews with ADA transition planning teams, and a geospatial analysis comparing communities with and without ADA transition plans.

Objective

The purpose of this research to describe the status of Public Rights-of-Way (PROW) ADA transition plans in the U.S. in order to improve understanding and identify where additional resources are needed for local planning

Intended Audience

ADA Coordinators, Urban and Transportation Planners, Pedestrian Advocates, Disability Organizations

Impact

• Resources shared to practicing planners and policy makers
• Helped spur on additional reports and analysis
• Helped raise the issue’s importance among local governments, transportation agencies, DOTs and MPOs
• Illinois Department of Transportation and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning have dedicated, funded efforts to improve ADA transition planning and implementation in the region.

What are some examples of ADA transition plans?

• USDOT’s Database on State ADA transition plans
• Interactive database of ADA transition plans on the public rights of way (up to 2022)

What are ways to improve ADA transition plan quality?

• Creating High-quality ADA Transition Plans for the Pedestrian Environment: A Casebook of Success Stories
  The casebook is based on interviews with 13 municipalities who developed and implement high-quality plans that go beyond minimum requirements. This tool highlights concrete examples and best practices of ADA transition plan development and implementation for the public rights-of-way. The casebook offers insight for those who are looking to develop or revise their ADA transition plans, regardless of the location, size, or density of your municipality. It includes a summary of key ingredients to develop a high-quality plan that can be used effectively plan for amore accessible future for all residents.
• ADA Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments

What is the problem with pedestrian infrastructure?

• Metropolitan Planning Council and ADA Great Lakes Center(2021) Where the sidewalk ends: The state of municipal ADA transition planning for the public right-of-way in the Chicago region.
• The Right to the Right of Way: A storymap on the rise of lawsuits and how ADA transition plans can be an important alternative.

Webinars

• I Do Not Want Your Cookies: People with Disabilities Experiences on Advisory Committees
  Title II of the ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination in state and local government programs, services and activities. This can include participation in activities like government advisory committees. This brief one-hour session presents a project that explored the experiences of people with disabilities on advisory committees to improve the accessibility of their communities. The purpose of the study was to better understand how they perceive their engagement in this civic role and its impact both for themselves and their community. Dr. Labbé and her team conducted four focus groups with 26 participants with disabilities who served on local government advisory committees in the Midwest region. The presentation will highlight the main findings from these discussions and recommendations for supporting civic engagement of people with disabilities.
• Planning for pedestrians with disabilities: Sharing successes and gaps from ADA Transition Plans around the U.S.
  Local governments are required to develop an ADA transition plan to identify barriers with sidewalks and intersections, and plan for how to remove barriers so that they are easier to use for people with disabilities. A recent study from the UIC Great Lakes ADA Center showed that many communities do not have transition plans for sidewalks and intersections and that the quality of most plans was low. In this webinar, the speakers will highlight ways to improve ADA transition plans and share successful practices gathered from ADA coordinators with high quality plans. The presentation will also discuss ways that people with disabilities may become involved in ADA transition planning and help to make their communities more accessible. The webinar will include a case study about the City of Tempe, Arizona that will be shared by municipal staff who led the development and implementation of their ADA Transition Plan for the public rights-of-way.

Publications

1. Eisenberg, Y., Heider, A., Gould, R., & Jones, R. (2020). Are communities in the United States planning for pedestrians with disabilities? Findings from a systematic evaluation of local government barrier removal plans. Cities, 102, 102720.
2. Eisenberg, Y., Heider, A., Stokes, M., Deitrick, S. (2020) ADA Audio Conference Webinar: Planning for pedestrians with disabilities: Sharing successes and gaps from ADA Transition Plans around the U.S.
3. Labbé, D., Heider, A., Eisenberg, Y., Gould, R., & Jones, R. (2024). Reflection on the application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to a national policy to improve inclusion of people with disabilities. Evaluation and Program Planning, 102, 102367.
4. Eisenberg, Y., Hofstra, A., Berquist, S., Gould, R., & Jones, R. (2022). Barrier-removal plans and pedestrian infrastructure equity for people with disabilities. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 109, 103356. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2022.103356
5. Eisenberg, Y., Heider, A., Labbe, D., Gould, R., & Jones, R. (2024). Planning accessible cities: Lessons from high quality barrier removal plans. Cities, 148, 104837.
6. Eisenberg, Y., Hayes, M., Hofstra, A., Labbé, D., Gould, R., & Jones, R. (2024). Performance Metrics for Implementation of Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plans.Urban Science, 8(2), 27.

Media

1. Pew Trust (And Republished in the Denver Gazette and the Detroit News )(2022, June). Wheelchair Users Say States Should Spend New Road Money on Safety. Great Lakes research was featured in an article about the need to spend new infrastructure funds on improving sidewalks for wheelchair users.
2. Scripps News – In the Loop (2022, August). More Than 30 Years After ADA, Cities Fail To Be Accessible. Dr. Eisenberg was interviewed and Great Lakes research was featured in this news story.
3. Seattle Times (2022, October). Washington faces an epidemic of inaccessible sidewalks. Dr. Eisenberg was interviewed and quoted for an article on inaccessible sidewalks in Washington State. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/wa-faces-an-epidemic-of-inaccessible-sidewalks/ and republished Washington faces an epidemic of inaccessible sidewalks
4. National Public Radio (2022, November). Walking and wheeling in the Windy City. I was interviewed for a radio show called the Rundown that is available to a national audience and which discussed the accessibility of Chicago for people with disabilities.
5. Baltimore Banner (2023, May). Baltimore isn’t accessible for people with disabilities. Fixing it would cost over $650 million. Dr. Eisenberg was interviewed and quoted for an article about Great Lakes research on lack of ADA compliance for pedestrians with disabilities that was featured in the Baltimore Banner.
6. Shelterforce Magazine (2023, July). The Road to Transportation Equity: Listening to Non-Drivers. Dr. Eisenberg was interviewed and quoted about Great Lakes research on how well communities are planning for and removing barriers in the sidewalk infrastructure for a national independent publication for community development practitioners.
7. Next City (2023, July). Accessibility Lawsuits Are Bringing Slow But Steady Wins For Disabled City Residents. Great Lakes research was featured for this national independent online magazine that focuses on innovative urban policies.
8. WCIU television station (2023, August). Chicago Accessibility Issues. Dr. Eisenberg was interviewed in-person for a television show called On the Block that is available to a national audience and which discussed the accessibility of Chicago for people with disabilities.

Research Contacts

Principal investigator:

Yochai Eisenberg, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences

Co-investigators:

Delphine Labbe, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences

Rob Gould, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences

Robin Jones, UIC College of Applied Health Sciences