Every year, SDOT builds or replaces 500-1,000 curb ramps to increase access for people using our sidewalks and crosswalks, especially those with wheelchairs or other mobility devices. In late 2016, we held a public meeting and online survey to gather feedback on where ramps are needed most and how they… [ Keep reading ]
SDOT has launched a new online tool that provides valuable information for people using Seattle sidewalks, curb ramps, and street crossings. This tool is the City of Seattle Curb Ramp Map and Accessible Route Planner. It’s updated daily with data that can help people better plan their routes, particularly those of us… [ Keep reading ]
The City of Seattle strives to make city programs, services, and activities equally accessible to all. Features such as curb ramps, ramps, sidewalks, detectable warnings and street crossings are components of an accessible pedestrian network. Curb ramps are an important part of helping many people where they need to go…. [ Keep reading ]
Did you know that if you require access improvements along your pedestrian route to work, home, or wherever you need to be, you can get help from SDOT? That’s right, and there are a number of different ways to do it! If you have a mobile device handy and access… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle is renowned for our arts, outdoors, and well, rain. Less well known is that we have some serious hills, rivaling San Francisco’s steeps, which pose an obstacle to accessibility for wheelchair users. Manual wheelchair users face a steep climb, and power chairs can deplete their battery motoring uphill, so… [ Keep reading ]
We had the chance to learn more about how deaf-blind pedestrians use sidewalks, street crossings, and public transit to get around the city thanks to The Lighthouse for the Blind, Inc. David Miller, an Orientation & Mobility Specialist with The Lighthouse, extended an invitation to observe how deaf-blind pedestrians navigate the public pedestrian… [ Keep reading ]
Some of us walk quickly, and some of us walk slowly. Others cannot see or hear as well as others. Still others use mobility assistive devices to help them get to where they need to be. SDOT is trying to better understand the abilities and needs of all pedestrians—in particular, those who live… [ Keep reading ]
Seattle continues to grow and neighborhoods across the city are being impacted by dense construction. SDOT’s Access Seattle crews conduct reviews, in addition to regularly scheduled inspections, of construction sites to assess their impact on pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. We work with contractors to maintain right-of-way code, enforce when necessary, and educate about the importance of accessibility for all. The Access team… [ Keep reading ]
SDOT crews have completed a new school crossing at N 80th St and 1st Ave N that provides a safer way for kids to cross the street to get to Greenwood Elementary School and St John Catholic School. Improvements include a new curb bulb, curb ramps compliant with the Americans with… [ Keep reading ]
SDOT recently presented to the Northwest Universal Design Council on features that make an intersection accessible to all pedestrians. One topic was the complexity of curb ramp design, especially in Seattle where the hills and terrain can create some significant challenges. Curb ramp construction is not a simple process where a contractor… [ Keep reading ]
