Being ADA compliant is critical and failure to do so can become costly. From cities to iconic stadiums, to municipalities, businesses, and places we all go to all the time have become subject to ADA compliance issues. Here are just a couple of examples.
"The friendly confines of Wrigley Field are not so friendly to wheelchair users, according to federal prosecutors who filed a civil lawsuit July 14 alleging that the Chicago Cubs’ multi-year renovation of the baseball stadium eliminated prime wheelchair seating and did not include other accessible features required under the Americans with Disabilities Act."
Pinky's. a Manhattan restaurant, had its outdoor dining space demolished by New York City. "The city claims it gave the owners fair notice about violations it found, including issues like the structure’s distance from the curb, and alleged its lack of ADA accessibility for disabled patrons."
Municipalities are not immune to ADA violations. "NJ Transit has agreed to update five of its train stations to make them more accessible for people with disabilities, according to a settlement with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey." The article continues. "In ways large and small, people with disabilities were denied full access to transportation services — whether it was the lack of access to restrooms, no signs, bad ramps, poor access to elevators, or that parking spaces were just too small for those who needed wheelchair access," the press release announcing the settlement said."
We cannot stress enough the importance of ensuring your projects are ADA compliant during all phases of your projects. At Phase 1, we are experts in ADA compliance and we are here to help if you have any questions at all.