LaBella says 4.36 miles of Menands sidewalks are partially or not accessible; capital estimate about $650,000

LaBella Associates presented the village’s ADA transition plan at the March 17 meeting, reporting that roughly 4.36 miles of sidewalks and pedestrian facilities in Menands were rated partially accessible or not accessible and recommending a multi‑year repair plan and schedule.

Mirren Galway, a planner with LaBella, summarized the scope and methodology: “An ADA transition plan is essentially an assessment of a community’s overall facilities for pedestrians, their infrastructure for pedestrians. It’s a part of the Americans with Disability Act,” she said, explaining the team used the Public Rights of Way Access Guidelines (PROWAG) and ArcGIS-based field surveys to rate facilities from fully accessible to not accessible. Galway said the team found the majority of problematic segments were partially accessible rather than fully inaccessible.

LaBella recommended a prioritized approach that places Manan Road and Brookside Avenue at the top of the list because the village already has cost estimates and identified concerns there. The South End neighborhood and the Broadway corridor were also high priorities; the firm divided Broadway into three sections to organize work. Using New York State DOT quick-estimate unit costs and conservative panel-replacement assumptions (roughly 15% of panels replaced in partially accessible segments and 30% in not-accessible segments), the study produced a total capital-investment estimate of about $650,000. That estimate splits roughly $250,000 for sidewalks and about $400,000 for intersections and ramps, Galway said.

LaBella outlined a five-year illustrative schedule that would repair about 0.9 miles per year, costing about $130,000 annually under the firm’s assumptions; Galway stressed that construction prices are volatile and these are planning estimates. The report includes GIS files, a work plan with a facility-level inventory (Appendix D), a recommended ADA coordinator contact, and a grievance procedure. Galway said public comments received to date were not yet incorporated and the firm will fold comments into a final draft after the comment period closes; meeting discussion set the comment period to remain open through April 30.

During public comment, residents asked practical questions about materials and signal types; Galway said sidewalks and ramps are typically concrete for compliance and pedestrian signals must provide both visual and audible indications. The board did not take a final vote on the plan at the meeting; next steps are incorporation of public comments and delivery of the final draft.