Randy Alexander has trouble getting around Memphis in his
wheelchair, and the city of Memphis isn’t helping.
“The curb ramps have long been an issue here in Memphis,” Alexander
said. “Currently, there are some real questions as to whether or not
the current way curb ramps are done is fully compliant. … The city
had 19 years to meet ADA standards.”
In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act enacted new standards
for right-of-ways and curb ramps that require state and local
governments to make pedestrian crossing accessible to people with
disabilities. Cities had two years to complete a self-evaluation and
transition plan.
Memphis fell behind, and in 1998, local residents filed a federal
lawsuit against the city for failing to renovate its ramps. A few years
later, the Department of Justice and the city of Memphis entered a
consent decree that required the city to comply with the curb cuts
cited in the lawsuit. Since then, Memphis has replaced 14,000 of the
30,000 city curb ramps.
Wain Gaskins, director of city engineering, said the delay in
updating all the ramps is due to the large scope of the project. Each
year for the past 10 years, the city has set aside $2.5 million for
curb ramp improvements. Each curb cut costs the city around $1,650 to
replace or update.
“We are removing and replacing any exiting curb ramps that are not
ADA-compliant,” Gaskins said. “The curb ramps are being installed to
meet ADA requirements.”
The city is replacing curb ramps in areas deemed most urgent to help
with the mobility of people with disabilities. However, because of a
city ordinance, Memphis is not responsible for the sidewalk around the
ramps.
Memphis is one city where residents are responsible for fixing
sidewalks,” Alexander said. ” It’s not fair to us or them
[residents].”
The city expects to miss the deadline set forth in the consent
decree, but Gaskins believes that with the city exceeding the 1,000
curb ramps per year requirement, the Department of Justice will grant
it an extension.
“There are some parts of town that I avoid because they are not
accessible,” Alexander said. “The city is incredibly far behind in
access for a city its size.”
