The 2020 Mountlake Terrace Self-Assessment And Transition Plan

BACKGROUND
The 2020 Mountlake Terrace ADA Self-Assessment and Transition Plan (ADA SATP) is a federally mandated document that all local agencies must adopt to satisfy the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which became Federal Law on January 26, 1992. The Act comprises five titles prohibiting discrimination against disabled persons within the United States. Title II (28 CFR Part 35) of the ADA specifically pertains to state and local governments and requires that these agencies create and maintain an ADA SATP (The ADA Transition Plan).  The ADA Transition Plan ensures that people with disabilities are provided equitable access and mobility along the City of Mountlake Terrace’s right-of-way so that they are able to participate in and enjoy the benefits of the services and activities of state and local governments, places of employment, privately hosted events, parks, businesses, restaurants and other amenities without experiencing discrimination. These efforts complement the City Council’s Goals.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT
In an effort to make the City of Mountlake Terrace’s public facilities and programs accessible to all, the City of Mountlake Terrace has developed its ADA Transition Plan for facilities within the City’s public right-of-way.  This plan includes the following four principle elements:

  • Identifies and catalogues the physical barriers that limit the mobility and accessibility to individuals with disabilities throughout the City;
  • Outlines the methods to be used to remove these barriers and make these facilities compliant with current ADA standards;
  • Produces a schedule and funding scheme for steps to achieve compliance of the right-of-way facilities over time; and,
  • Provides management policies that the City will implement to execute and maintain the program.

REVIEW PROCESS
The public was provided the opportunity to review and comment on the ADA Transition Plan at an open house conducted on the evening of July 22, 2019 and on an online Survey which was available for public feedback from September through December of 2019 on the City’s website. In addition, a focus group convened on January 14, 2020 with members of the community that expressed interest in participating when they completed the online survey. The development of the ADA Transition Plan was greatly enhanced with feedback received from stakeholders at all of these forums.

The Planning Commission reviewed The ADA Transition Plan at three individual meetings throughout the first half of 2020.  During the last review, several Commissioners identified that barriers should be equitably removed throughout the City and not concentrated in the Town Center area or other heavily utilized commercial districts. This priority was also recognized by residents in the public outreach efforts.

 At the September 21, 2020 City Council meeting, Councilmember conducted a final review, held a public hearing and adopted Mountlake Terrace’s ADA Transition Plan.

Contact Us

  1. Jeff Rivers

    Civil Engineer I
    Email
    Phone: 425-744-6203

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The ADA SATP consists of six primary tasks; they include:

Task 1 - GIS Database - Develop a mapping database of City features that include the facilities the City has identified as significant destinations and the right-of way barriers that limit access.  See Figure 1- Sample of GIS Barrier Mapping. 

Task 2 - Stakeholder Engagement and Feedback – Communication with people who have disabilities, is a necessary element of the process to create an effective ADA Transition Plan.  The following measures were utilized for public outreach:

  • Live Open House conducted on July 22, 2019
  • On-Line Survey which was available on the City’s website from September through December of 2019
  • Live Focus Group performed on January 14, 2020
  • Planning Commission meetings held throughout the first half of 2020.
  • City Council Meetings and Public Hearing held in the third quarter of 2020

Task 3 - Self-Assessment Data Collection – An inventory of the deficiencies that limit the mobility and accessibility to individuals with disabilities will be conducted and generally cover portions of the City most significant to people with disabilities.   

The data collected will identify the barriers and incorporated into a spreadsheet and GIS mapping.  Examples of the barriers inventoried in Task 3 are shown below in Figure 2 – Barriers Inventoried throughout the City and their ADA-Compliant Solution.

Figure 1 - Sample of GIS Barrier Mapping

ADA Traffic Map

Figure 2 - Barriers Inventoried Throughout City and their ADA-Compliant Solution

ADA Barrier Photos

The initial scope of the self-assessment data collection will include the following:

  • 25 miles of sidewalk, including individual barriers along the sidewalk
  • 520 curb ramps
  • 50 pedestrian push buttons
  • 200 marked and unmarked crosswalk locations

The remaining barriers in the City will be inventoried as time and budget permits with summer interns and city staff. 

Task 4 – Barrier Removal – This task identifies how barriers in the public right of way and City facilities will be removed. This can be accomplished through Capital Improvement Projects, Private Development and using funds already identified in the City’s budget. 

The consultant team will identify both conventional and location-specific methods in which barriers within the public right-of-way will be removed.  Barriers can include, but are not limited to offsets/cracks in the sidewalk or unimproved shoulders that prevent passage for people with wheelchairs or create tripping hazards for the sight-impaired, curb ramps with excessive grades or missing detection pads, stairs and several other types. 

The consultant will also assist in identifying training needs for City staff. The consultant will assist in developing a training framework using existing materials from other local, state, and federal agencies. 

Task 5 – Implementation Schedule – The Consultant will coordinate with the City to develop a prioritized implementation schedule for barrier removal. Prioritization of barriers will include input from stakeholders and multi-criteria analysis of the significance of individual barriers. 

The implementation schedule (shown in Figure 3) will be defined by planning level cost estimates and dedicated funding resources, as well as leveraging related funding resources. ADA barriers are often removed by existing programs, and these activities will be highlighted.

Finally, The Consultant will assist in the development of a comprehensive monitoring procedure. This procedure will build upon the GIS data collected in the self-assessment task and identify how that database will be efficiently maintained moving forward. It will help the City clearly communicate with Mountlake Terrace residents by tracking and reporting barrier removals in real time.

Figure 3 - Implementation Schedule of Barrier Removal Projects

Timeline 2020-2050

Task 6 – Draft and Final Plan – This task includes development of a comprehensive and sustainable document.  The adopted Mountlake Terrace ADA Transition Plan will be clearly structured to meet the requirements of ADA Title II.  Best practices will be integrated and highlighted throughout the plan and suggestions from partner agencies will be included.

In addition to plan, the Consultant will recommend City procedures, communication protocols and staffing that are required as part of an ADA transition plan. These additional steps are necessary to ensure all required elements of the ADA transition plan are reflected within the guidelines of the ADA Act.  Per ADA Title II Part 35, Subpart D – Program Accessibility § 35.150 (d) (3), ADA Transition Plans must include:

  • Identification of an “ADA Coordinator”
  • Development of protocols to ensure information is accessible
  • Development of a grievance procedure
  1. Accessible Pedestrian Signal Policy, 2016 (PDF)
  2. ADA Grievance Procedure (PDF)