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PUBLIC WORKS Medford faces big bill for sidewalk disability ramps New federal requirement pushes funds from street paving to ramp building By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 9, 2015 @ 6:46 pm By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 9, 2015 @ 6:46 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> At the expense of planned street paving projects, Medford will have to spend up to $650,000 next year to make the city more accessible for the disabled by installing new sidewalk ramps at intersections. “It’s an expensive proposition, I can tell you,” said Cory Crebbin, director of public works. “It’s a real financial hit.” Crebbin said the city was on target to continuously improve its streets with a repair program that included paving and other maintenance efforts but ran into a federal requirement to upgrade existing sidewalk ramps used by the disabled, parents with strollers and others. The city will upgrade 186 ramps during the first three months of next year, with the money coming directly out of its paving budget. In a typical year, the city spends $1 million to $1.5 million for paving projects, known as overlays. But a new federal requirement is forcing the city to replace older ramps that aren’t compliant with the latest Americans with Disabilities Act rules. The requirement affects any street that is being repaved. Ramps with a yellow rubber surface are generally compliant with the new rules. Ramps without the rubber surface may not be compliant, Crebbin said. Crebbin said the federal government considers a street overlay, or paving project, to be a major alteration of a street and requires that the new ADA ramps be installed at the same time. Crebbin said most of the $550,000 to $650,000 ramp expense next year will be to replace out-of-compliance ramps, though some of the money will pay for ramps at intersections where none now exist. He said most of the work will occur on the west side of Medford, which is slated for a majority of the repaving projects next year. Crebbin said it’s hard to estimate how much of a hit the city will take after next year because it depends on which streets need overlays. He also said it’s difficult to calculate how many years it will take before all of Medford’s streets are compliant with the latest ADA rules. The city learned about the ramp requirement this year when the Federal Highway Administration came down to review how the city was complying with ADA requirements. Unless there is an infusion of extra dollars, Medford’s streets might deteriorate over time because the city will no longer be able to keep up with street maintenance, Crebbin said. The city is looking for bids from contractors to start on the project by Jan. 5, 2016 and finish by March 31, 2016. Despite the concern, community members with disabilities welcome the new ramps. “I would really like it,” said Rhonda Fowler, a 51-year-old resident in the Medford Hotel. Fowler, who has cerebral palsy, said she has difficulty going to the mailbox across the street because there is no wheelchair accessible slot. “Otherwise, I have to go out on the street,” she said. Dave Toler, director for senior and disability services for the Rogue Valley Council of Government, said, “We’re really pleased that Medford is moving forward with this project.” He said the ramps are used by many community members, not just those in wheelchairs, including older residents and mothers with wheelchairs. Even for someone walking a bicycle through town, it’s easier to push a bicycle through one of the ramps, Toler said. Angie Johnston, a 35-year-old mother, pushed her stroller through a disabled ramp across Central Avenue by the Medford library Monday. She said there are many areas in Medford where the sidewalks aren’t as easy to negotiate, and she’d welcome seeing the ramps in other locations. “I’m sure it would be a lot more convenient,” she said. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter at @reporterdm . By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 9, 2015 @ 6:46 pm » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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