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County presents $430M‑plus curb‑ramp plan to meet ADA standards; board approves 73 ramp upgrades
Summary
Washington County officials described a public‑right‑of‑way ADA transition plan estimating roughly 25,590 curb ramps systemwide — only about 3.8% fully compliant — and a multi‑decade cost of roughly $430M–$448M. The board approved consent upgrades at 73 locations and directed staff to return with a final Phase 1 plan in early February.
Washington County staff briefed commissioners on a public‑right‑of‑way transition plan focused on curb ramps, estimating a long‑term program to bring the county’s sidewalks and crossings into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Steven Roberts, the county’s land‑use and transportation director, introduced the briefing and said the work is phase 1 of a larger ADA transition plan. County engineer and public‑right‑of‑way ADA coordinator Stacy Scheller described the assessment method, which sampled two representative areas (about 6% of the system) with Federal Highway Administration concurrence, then extrapolated results to the full county system.
Scheller said the county estimates about 25,590 curb ramps on county‑managed roads and that only about 3.8 percent of those ramps are fully ADA compliant under current standards, leaving roughly 24,600 ramps needing repair or replacement. "Only about 3.8 percent of the curb ramps in our system are fully ADA compliant," the presentation stated.
Using a scoring matrix that combines facility context and a rapid compliance checklist, staff prioritized high‑need ramps and estimated total costs between roughly $430 million and $448 million. Scheller framed the level of effort as multi‑decadal: "If we assume 40 year to complete all the curb ramp work, that would mean spending an average of $11,000,000 per year," she said, noting the county already invests about $8–$10 million per year in ADA‑related work across paving and capital projects.
Staff emphasized implementation strategies that leverage paving schedules and development activity to trigger ramp work, and said equity and an ADA accommodations request list would inform hot‑spot repairs. The board approved a consent item to upgrade ramps at 73 locations ahead of the 2025 paving schedule, and staff said another consent for 53 locations is forthcoming.
Commissioners pressed staff on liability and enforcement. When asked about penalties for noncompliance, staff said the principal risk is civil litigation alleging civil‑rights violations, and that having an actionable plan and schedule reduces legal exposure.
Community engagement for the draft plan included an online open house with more than 300 visitors; commenters generally supported prioritization but asked that missing sidewalks sometimes be addressed before ramp replacements. Staff said paving often triggers ramp work, while installing missing sidewalks typically requires separate project funding.
Scheller told the board staff will incorporate member feedback and return with a final Phase 1 plan for adoption in early February. Commissioners expressed broad support for the plan’s direction and for the near‑term consent upgrades.
