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Lakewood officials outline ADA transition plan, prioritize $260,000 annual request and capital coordination
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Summary
City staff presented an ADA transition plan focused on right-of-way accessibility, annual inventory updates and a proposed $260,000 standalone budget request to begin addressing prioritized curb ramps, pedestrian push-button upgrades and other barrier removals; staff said much work will be funded through capital projects and grants.
City engineering staff presented the Lakewood ADA transition plan to the Planning Commission on April 1, focusing on right-of-way pedestrian facilities such as curb ramps, sidewalks, crossings and pedestrian push buttons.
The presenter summarized the 2021 GIS inventory of sidewalks and curb ramps and said the city intends to move to annual inventory updates that will account for capital projects built since 2021. "So that's where we come up with the $260,000 a year to start with," the presenter said when describing a proposed standalone annual request to fund prioritized barrier removal projects.
The plan leans on multiple delivery approaches: standalone funding requests, integration with capital improvement projects and routine maintenance programs. Staff noted the city has been successful in securing federal and state grants (CMAQ, STP, Safe Routes to School) and that some projects are financed through the transportation benefit district and other local mechanisms.
Key details: staff reported the city has about 180 centerline miles (436 lane miles) of road and estimated sidewalk coverage near 20% if sidewalks exist on both sides of those roads. Prioritization will use facility condition, traffic volume, pedestrian use near facilities like schools, and complaint history; staff gave an example of a $260,000-per-year starting budget targeted at upgrading pedestrian push buttons and adjoining pedestrian ramps at a single intersection.
Questions and concerns from commissioners included whether developers can be required to exceed federal minimums for accessible parking ratios, how private-property ADA complaints are handled (staff said complaints on private property are rare and typically handled with outreach to the owner), and whether the proposed funding is sufficient given the scale of identified needs.
Next step: staff will post the draft ADA transition plan on the city website, hold a public hearing at the commission's next meeting and forward a recommendation to council with the plan, an updated six-year TIP and CIP prioritization.
