Truncated dome tiles on the ramps that transition from sidewalk to street level alert individuals who are blind or visually impaired who require the use of a cane that they are approaching a street.
Article submitted by Jamie Fleury, The Pilot News Staff Writer
PLYMOUTH — The City of Plymouth Common Council approved Resolution 2022-991 adopting the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right of Way during the meeting held on Monday, January 24.
The Complete Streets Committee recommended that the City of Plymouth adopt the plan as presented by the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG), which assisted Plymouth with the creation of a similar plan in 2011/2012. That original plan identified all of the sidewalks in the City of Plymouth and rated their condition and accessibility.
Priority was ranked based on the necessity for improvements. Higher traffic areas connecting public services such as the Plymouth Public Library, City Hall, and schools being given top priority while isolated residential neighborhoods were given less.
ADA sidewalk improvements include accommodations for wheelchair accessibility such as a smooth passable surface that has slopes within certain tolerances. They also need to be wide enough for two wheelchairs to pass each other. If not, ADA compliance requires a “bump out” or “passing blister area” at specified distances so that someone in a wheelchair can wait while another individual passes. Intersections must have truncated dome tiles on the ramps that transition from sidewalk to street level to alert individuals who are blind or visually impaired who require the use of a cane that they are approaching a street.
The City of Plymouth has budgeted approximately $40,000 annually for materials while the crews provide the labor. The City of Plymouth Street Department has accomplished several goals of that plan over the past decade. Crews work every Spring and Summer on sidewalk repairs.
At the end of summer, the crew turns their attention toward leaf pickup. Much progress has been made on the “high priority” sidewalks identified in the original plan. The 2021 version of the plan adopted in January reviewed the sidewalk infrastructure and created a new priority list. The Complete Streets Committee suggested that Plymouth Street Department Superintendent Jim Marquardt recalibrate a project list for his crew to work on every summer that would include consideration beyond the ADA Transition Plan. This allows for the allocation of a portion of time and budget resources to other projects including new sidewalks. The ADA Transition Plan only addresses existing sidewalks. The new approach would allow for the installation of a sidewalk to connect an area between two other existing sidewalks.
The Council, Marquardt who also serves on the Complete Streets Committee, and the Committee all agreed that this was the best approach to reach the ultimate goal of using resources on projects that will have the greatest impact.
City of Plymouth Attorney Sean Surrisi said, “The ADA Transition Plan is an evolving policy document aimed at assuring the City is making progress at improving the accessibility of its sidewalk network.”
