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SDOT outlines ADA obligations, consent‑decree timetable and curb‑ramp workload
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Summary
SDOT briefed the Steps Committee on its ADA program, noting the Reynoldson consent decree requires a minimum of 1,250 curb ramps annually (including at least 150 from customer requests), and described a 2026–2028 transition‑plan process with community outreach.
SDOT presented an overview of accessibility work in the public right of way and the department’s obligations under the Reynoldson consent decree, emphasizing coordination across city agencies and community engagement.
Tom Hewitt, SDOT’s ADA coordinator, told the committee the consent decree—finalized in 2017 and running through 2035—sets minimum annual delivery and reporting requirements. "At a minimum annually, we have to deliver 1,250 curb ramps a year," Hewitt said, adding that a minimum of 150 of those must come from customer service requests on a first‑come, first‑serve basis.
Hewitt explained the ADA program’s three teams: customer experience (which intakes roughly 600 ADA requests annually), planning and project management (which develops curb‑ramp and barrier‑removal projects) and design/inspection (which provides technical review and inspects ramps using a mobile app). He said SDOT averages about 1,352 curb ramps per year—roughly 100 above the consent‑decree minimum—and that since 2017 the city has delivered or permitted 11,609 curb ramps.
Program priorities and schedule: SDOT said curb‑ramp delivery and barrier removal remain central and that a public survey and outreach to disability communities will feed an updated ADA transition plan. The department plans public engagement in 2026, an ADA priority overlay and additional self‑evaluation work in 2026–27, and a finalized SDOT transition plan by 2028.
Coordination and temporary conditions: Council members asked how SDOT integrates ADA requests with other projects and agencies (utilities, private developers, Seattle Public Utilities, City Light and the city’s care teams). SDOT said third‑party construction can count toward consent‑decree obligations if ramps are built at requested locations and that coordination and inspection oversight are critical to ensure consistent standards.
Accessibility and shared mobility: Council members raised resident concerns about scooter and dockless device clutter blocking pedestrian access. Hewitt said SDOT is testing scooter corral designs with tactile treatments so corrals are detectable with a cane and remain off the pedestrian access route.
Next steps: SDOT will continue its outreach with the Pedestrian Access Advisory Committee and expects to publish engagement materials and a public survey in 2026 to inform the transition‑plan prioritization.
