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Scottsdale staff outline ADA transition plan update, timeline and interactive GIS tracking
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Summary
City ADA coordinator presented a draft update to Scottsdale's ADA transition plan, including a GIS-based barrier inventory, prioritized timelines tied to funding and a public-comment period this spring ahead of city council review.
Felicia Beltran, Scottsdale's ADA compliance coordinator, told the Transportation Commission on Feb. 19 that the city will finalize an updated ADA transition plan this spring and has built a GIS-based dashboard to inventory barriers and guide prioritization.
Beltran said the plan rests on federal requirements (section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act) and local standards (the city's 2018 design manual plus 2010 ADA guidelines and PROWAG where applicable). The update compiles a self-evaluation of city-owned buildings and public-rights-of-way and maps ramps, sidewalks, pedestrian signals and park assets so staff can visualize clusters of barriers and align improvements with affected populations.
The draft includes: identification of the official responsible for implementation (the ADA compliance coordinator), Scottsdale's public notice and grievance procedures, an inventory of barriers identified in field assessments, prioritization tiers for capital projects and an annual monitoring requirement. Beltran said staff will calculate timelines for barrier removal based on prioritization and available funding and will commit to annual projects tied to that monitoring.
Beltran described a robust public-engagement program for the update: three public meetings, QR-code outreach at high-traffic city facilities, in-person outreach at events (including WestWorld) and partnerships with ADA advocacy groups. She said the draft plan will be released for public comment in the next month and will be presented to city council for approval after that process.
On funding, Beltran said staff will consider a mix of sources, including transportation sales tax, HEERF, general-fund allocations, the city's 2% transportation tax and other departmental budgets as well as state and federal grants.
Commissioners focused questions on data and implementation. Staff confirmed the city has a sidewalk GIS polygon layer and is building curb-ramp layers and an interactive tracking system that will allow the public to submit accessibility reports tied to map locations. Nathan (city staff) said updating and maintaining the inventory will be a recurring challenge and described a requirement in the transition plan that city departments interface with the GIS when they make facility updates.
On signals, the commission asked whether audible pedestrian signals or passive detection for rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs) are available; staff said audible technology and passive detection are in early pilot phases. On temporary routes during construction, Beltran reiterated that standards require an alternate safe, ADA-accessible route.
Beltran said the city's monitoring will include an annual review carried out by the ADA compliance coordinator and that significant plan updates will include public comment periods. She invited the commission to provide input when the draft is released and to help distribute the public-comment opportunity.
The Transportation Commission did not take formal action on the presentation; staff will release the draft for public comment shortly and then seek council action later this spring.
