The plan is the result of a lawsuit brought by residents who say the city has failed to maintain safe, accessible sidewalks and streets for people with disabilities.
Baltimore will spend at least $44 million on accessibility upgrades for city sidewalks following a lawsuit by three residents.
As Mark Reutter explains in Baltimore Brew, “Under the agreement, which will go before the BOE for approval on November 20, the city will allocate at least $8 million in state Highway User Revenues to install and upgrade curb ramps and walkways to ADA standards in fiscal 2025, followed by a minimum of $12 million annually between 2026 and 2028.” Bringing all of the city’s sidewalks and streets in compliance with ADA would cost $657 million in 2019 dollars, based on a study commissioned by the Department of Transportation.
A 2019 study found that just over 1 percent of Baltimore curb ramps were ADA-compliant, and the city had 3,000 miles of non-compliant sidewalks. The city has pledged to install 533 curb ramps by June 30, 2025 and fix or install more than 2,000 more in the next three years.
According to Reutter, “The Scott administration further promises to appoint an ADA coordinator to implement a sidewalk inspection program, establish a maintenance program to clear vegetation and clutter on sidewalks ‘on an annual basis’ and communicate with the public about the importance of accessibility on public rights of way.”
FULL STORY: Baltimore pledges to spend $44 million on ADA-compliant ramps and sidewalks
Dallas to Make Accessibility Improvements Near Bus Stops
The city approved over $30 million in contracts to fix broken sidewalks and add curb ramps near DART stations.
Following Lawsuit, Philadelphia to Add or Fix 10,000 Curb Cuts
Disability rights advocates won a settlement that directs the city to improve accessibility on its public roads over the next 15 years.
Mobile App Makes DC Transit Easy to Navigate for Visually Impaired Riders
The app gives step-by-step directions and audio and visual cues accessible from anywhere for thousands of bus stops and rail stations.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research