I’ve been learning about what the Americans with Disabilities Act requires when it comes to our sidewalks. Here, I want to share my single favorite discovery.
Hennepin County has an interactive online map with photo images and descriptions of every intersection, curb cut, signal actuation/beg button, and sidewalk obstruction on county streets. That map is here.
This. Map. Is. Amazing.
Every non-ADA-compliant barrier in Hennepin County
It itemizes every non-ADA-compliant spot on Hennepin County Sidewalks. Every green dot is a spot that was an ADA barrier (curb ramps, spots lacking accessible pedestrian signals (APS), or other), and every grey dot is a barrier that needs to be addressed. The APS images are standard, but the sidewalk obstructions are of the spot on the map. If you click on the dot, you’ll see something like this:
Utility Pole in the Sidewalk on Franklin
Light pole barrier in the sidewalk
Missing Accessible Pedestrian Signal (the universal image)
These sorts of images are available for the entire County.
I encourage you to click through and explore the sidewalks in your corner of the city. Seeing these images made me more aware of barriers that my able-bodied self hadn’t realized were barriers, and I hope I can now do my part to advocate for a city where older adults and people with mobility challenges are healthy, independent, and connected with their communities through streets and sidewalks designed for them.
This is cross-posted on the Our Streets Minneapolis blog.