You probably know that curb ramps help people travel from the sidewalk down to the street crossing, particularly people living with disabilities and those who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. But did you know, if you are living with a disability, you can request to have curb ramps installed at specific locations where they would assist you in your daily activities?
SDOT is pleased to announce that our curb ramp request program is currently being improved to help build curb ramps faster than in years past.
Curb ramps are important for wheelchairs and other wheeled devices.
Building curb ramps takes more time than you might think. Engineers individually design curb ramps which will work on our hilly streets and with our unique drainage issues. We also have to schedule crews to build the curb ramps. All of these tasks must occur within the confines of other SDOT projects and fiscal responsibilities. However, SDOT is developing new processes that will strive to install curb ramps within one year from the date they are requested. This requires SDOT to streamline the process and have staff ready to tackle the challenge as soon as the requests come in. We understand how important accessibility is to our residents and visitors.
New curb ramps under construction.
SDOT continually strives to get the word out to people about requesting curb ramps, and we are surprised to find that so many people are not aware of it. Tell your friends to visit our ADA Request webpage and fill out our online form so that we can help with your access needs! You can also request curb ramps and other improvements through the City of Seattle Customer Service Bureau webpage.
SDOT builds new curb ramps as a part of their public right-of-way improvement projects. Other city departments, private developers, and utility services may also install curb ramps as a part of their projects. But we know that it is important to understand where you might need curb ramps, sooner than when a planned project reaches your area.
If you have any questions about accessibility within the Seattle public right-of-way, we encourage you contact SDOT’s ADA Coordinator, Michael Shaw. He can be reached at (206) 615-1974 or by email at Michael.Shaw@seattle.gov.