Council narrows dog beach ADA options; staff wary of MobiMats, favors permanent ramp option

City Engineer Laura Biggs briefed the council on Nov. 10 on progress toward an ADA‑accessible entrance to Evanston’s dog beach and summarized options previously designed by SmithGroup and reviewed by consultant GEI.

Biggs reviewed three SmithGroup value‑engineered alternatives (rebid original design; remove some add‑ons such as boardwalk and electric gate; and a steeper direct access with less dune boardwalk) and GEI’s subsequent four options, which included permanent and seasonal (MobiMat) approaches. Staff flagged concerns about seasonal solutions that rely on MobiMats and extensive regrading because of sand movement and long‑term maintenance demands.

Council members generally favored GEI option 1b—a shorter, more direct entrance—but requested a permanent concrete ramp rather than a MobiMat solution. Council discussion also addressed whether to retain amenities such as a dog wash and electrical gate; staff noted ADA compliance for fixtures like a dog wash would require concrete pads and accessible controls and estimated costs of roughly $10,000–$25,000 to make a dog wash ADA compliant.

Budgeting and schedule choices were presented: a change order (if the council prefers that path) for consultant fees would be in the $40,000–$60,000 range and would allow completion in 2026; issuing an RFP for a new engineering firm would delay work into 2027. Council members emphasized speed and accessibility for residents and asked staff to return a consultant fee proposal tied to the council’s preferred option.

What’s next: Staff will prepare a cost estimate and change‑order request for the council if members want to proceed quickly with a permanent option (GEI 1b with concrete); otherwise a full procurement process would delay construction until 2027.