It will take about $20 million to bring the city’s Transit Center and bus stops into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
This money would pay for about 1,948 individual projects within the Durango Transit system, Transportation and Sustainability Director Amber Blake on Tuesday told the Durango City Council.
Consultants analyzed 119 transit stops and nearby sidewalks to compile the numbers for a plan the city is required to have under federal law. The analysis found 65 percent of the transit facilities are accessible.
Once the city formalizes the plan to become accessible, staff members must be able to show it is being put into action to comply with the law, she said. Although it may not completely protect the city from a lawsuit.
“It’s a good faith effort,” she said.
Some stops identified for improvement clearly need to be upgraded. For example, some transit stops have little more than a bench without a sidewalk or a shelter.
These projects will receive the highest priority for improvement – with the goal they be completed in five years. The consultants suggested laying out a 10-year schedule for the projects.
While there is no clear way to pay for all the modifications, having a plan can help the city seek grant funding, Blake said.
As part of the process, the 1,948 projects have been consolidated into 19 areas in need of updates so the city an prioritize.
“We’re putting together the building blocks we need to support partnerships,” she said.
Other projects are less pressing: Although they do not meet 2010 federal standards, they are more functional. For instance, the 2009 Transit Center has noncompliant curb ramps.
This transit accessibility plan will eventually become part of an updated plan to make all city buildings accessible.
But to be an accessible community will require updates to private buildings as well, Councilor Dean Brookie said.
“It’s going to take a full-on community effort to get to a 100 percent compliance,” Blake said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
