Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Inventory The first step in ensuring compliance with accessibility requirements September 2017 Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Inventory Summer 2017 Executive Summary In the summer of 2017, the Town of Falmouth undertook an inventory of its existing sidewalk network. This project was listed as a recommended action item in the 2016 Falmouth Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan . The inventory focused primarily on American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance of sidewalk segments, curb ramps, and crosswalks. Sidewalk segments and curb ramps were surveyed for the most common barriers to access, including: • Sidewalk width, vertical grade, and maintenance; • Curb ramp width, vertical grade, and cross slope; • The presence of level landing panels, detectable warnings, and other curb ramp elements; • Flush and level transitions between sidewalks, ramps, and crosswalks; etc. Over 10 miles of priority sidewalk segments were surveyed. The key results include: • 50 percent of sidewalk segments (17 segments) have at least one vertical or horizontal fault. • 29 percent of sidewalk segments (10 segments) have at least one obstructing or protruding object. • 62 percent of sidewalk segments (21 segments) have at least one non-conforming curb cut. • 6 percent of curb ramps (10 ramps) have a ramp panel less than 36 inches wide. • 15 percent of curb ramps (25 ramps) lack a level landing panel. • 36 percent of curb ramps (59 ramps) lack detectable warnings installed and in good condition. • 26 percent of curb ramps (42 ramps) lack flush and level transitions. The following recommendations are made to improve conditions and increase compliance: • Repair all vertical and horizontal faults (51 faults). • Install high-performing detectable warnings (59 ramps). • Remove all obstructing and protruding objects (15 objects). • Retrofit all non-conforming driveways and curb cuts (47 curb cuts). • Install crosswalk signals or signage at appropriate locations. • Consider requiring a sidewalk width of 6 feet or more in high traffic locations. • Attempt to perform crosswalk maintenance and striping as early in the season as is practical. • Establish "enhanced maintenance zones" in priority pedestrian areas. • Reconsider corner/diagonal curb ramp configurations, in favor of two perpendicular ramps. 1 Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Inventory Summer 2017 Table of Contents Introduction and Background .....................................................................................................................................3 Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act ..................................................................................................4 Methodology Used and Metrics Evaluated ................................................................................................................4 Scoring ........................................................................................................................................................................9 Results ..................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 Appendices .............................................................................................................................................................. 15 2 Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Inventory Summer 2017 Introduction and Background The current Comprehensive Plan for the Town of Falmouth was adopted by the Falmouth Town Council in 2014. A key land use theme in this plan envisioned Falmouth as having two mixed-use and commercial growth areas, one along Route 1 and another along Route 100, to be surrounded by residential growth areas of increased density. Guiding development in this manner would allow for walkable and bikeable neighborhoods with convenient connections to the village centers. Several public outreach efforts informed the Comprehensive Plan, including a statistically significant survey with questions on bicycling and walking. 61 percent of respondents indicated that it was important or very important to extend a bike network across Falmouth. 58 percent felt the same about a sidewalk network. As a result, encouraging more biking and walking became an important part of the plan. In 2016, the Town Council adopted a bicycle and pedestrian plan. That plan, spearheaded by a coalition of Town staff, consulted with experienced stakeholders and advocates, including representatives from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, Maine Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the public. Two public forums and an informal survey resulted in a list of recommended improvements to be evaluated. Two priorities became clear: a better-connected bicycle and pedestrian network throughout town, and increased ADA compliance of that network. Ultimately, that plan envisioned Falmouth as a place where biking and walking were promoted as safe and convenient modes of transportation. To achieve that end, a key goal of the plan was to strengthen connections to the Route 1 and Route 100 corridors, the school campus, downtown Portland, and other important destinations. A list of 47 recommended action items was included in the plan to advance its vision and goals. Two of those action items are: • Make ADA improvements to the entire sidewalk system, especially at crosswalk locations; and, • Incorporate the latest ADA-compliant crossing technologies, including audio warning devices and countdown signals, whenever a traffic signal is being upgraded. The latter was acknowledged as an ongoing activity, but the former necessitated that an inventory be created to assist Town staff in identifying deficiencies, prioritizing improvements, and planning for future expansions to the sidewalk network. In the summer of 2017, Town staff inventoried and surveyed the existing Falmouth sidewalk network, with an emphasis on accessibility and ADA compliance. The Town's sidewalk network is relatively new, and gradually expanding. In tandem with that expansion, staff and the public have expressed a desire that the existing sidewalk infrastructure be kept in good condition. Further, with Falmouth poised for future growth, cultivating walkable village centers and promoting non-motorized transportation modes are important strategies towards reducing congestion, fostering a strong sense of community, and reducing any negative environmental impacts. 3 Sidewalk and Curb Ramp Inventory Summer 2017 Complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990, prohibiting discrimination based on disability. Title II of that act concerns access to public facilities and programs, and is the primary source of the need for public entities to ensure adequate public access for people of all abilities to the maximum extent feasible. Specifically relevant to this project, Title II governs the geometric requirements for sidewalks, crosswalks, and curb ramps. Several documents were consulted for guidance on compliance with the ADA: • ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments , U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2007, specifically o Chapter 6, "Curb Ramps and Pedestrian Crossings Under Title II of the ADA" and o Appendix 2, "Survey Forms: Curb Ramps;" • Accessible Sidewalks and Street Crossings: An Informational Guide , U.S. Dept. of Transportation, 2004; • The ADA and City Governments: Common Problems , U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2015; and, • ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments , U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2003. While the above documents provided a basic understanding of common non-compliance problems, most include a caveat, and this report includes the same: For full ADA compliance it is necessary to follow Chapters 4 through 10 of the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design . However, Chapter 4 alone, regarding "Accessible Routes", is 32 pages long. Even a cursory reading of that chapter indicates that much of its content is beyond the scope of this project. Thus, this inventory and survey work considers only the most common curb ramp and sidewalk related barriers to accessibility. Methodology Used and Metrics Evaluated Existing GIS data suggests the sidewalk and pedestrian connection network in Falmouth totals over 26 miles in length. (A "pedestrian connection" refers to walkways that typically go through parking lots or lead directly to buildings, providing general pedestrian access to or within a specific site; for example, the Falmouth Village Shoppes Plaza or the Falmouth School Campus.) Staff identified a subset of priority sidewalk segments to be inventoried. The segments prioritized were those along major corridors, through key pedestrian environments, and in areas that may see an increase in pedestrian use due to future growth. Generally excluded were sidewalks on minor residential streets (especially dead end streets), and other pedestrian connections not directly adjacent to roadways. The priority segments surveyed totaled over 10 miles in length. The map on page 6 shows the surveyed priority sidewalk segments within the overall network. Field inspections were performed from May to August