2. ADA Transition Plan – Brief Overview
2019 AASTHO Agency Administration Conference
Sandra D. Norman, Civil Rights Division Administrator, VDOT
May 2019

3. The Road to the Plan Civil Rights Meeting – 2013
A gentle reminder of the following:
Legal Responsibilities
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Make programs and services accessible to all
Title II of the ADA of 1990
Self-evaluation to inventory barriers and develop a transition plan
DOJ/FHWA Joint Memo of 2013
Clarify when deficient ramps must be improved during paving
Risks – lawsuit due to non-compliance
Caltrans: $1.1B settlement
Fairfax County: 2011 settlement with DOJ
Advisory Team Assembled
Civil Rights and Traffic and Engineering
Virginia Department of Transportation

4. ADA Transition Plan Requirements
Four key attributes (per Code of Federal Regulations)
Designate the Official Responsible
Commissioner
Inventory Barriers
Curb Ramps
Sidewalks
Traffic Signals (APS)
Safety Rest Areas & Welcome Centers
Facilities
Methods
Description of programs
Schedule
Commitment to a timeline for barrier removal
Virginia Department of Transportation

5. Implementation in Process
(Phase I – Curb Ramps)
Step
Complete
Strategic Plan
June 2014
Organize Internal/External Outreach
(DARs) – Surveyed targeted locations
Local Assistance Workshop
July 2014
September 2014
Joint Memorandum Issued – (TED & CR)
August 2014
State Funding Identified ($6.9m)
Self-assessment of deficiencies to address
July - Continuing
Implement Assessment & Work Tracking Procedures
Designate ADA Coordinator
October 2014
Develop Grievance Procedures & Implement Complaint Process
Monitor Pavement Schedule to Completion
June 2015
Can we develop the schedule for developing the plan with some interim dates, like data collection by districts? Some things to measure before Sept. 2016?
# of Projected Curb Ramps
# of Curb Ramps
Assessed
# Actual Accomplishment
% Actual Accomplishment

6. Show me the Inventory 1990s Inventory – non existence Non existence
Inventory never materialized
No central depository
Self Assessment Phase
Curb Ramps – July 2014 assessments began
Internal stakeholders – District Employee buy-in
Teams of two
ADA Tracker
Civil Rights designed and Traffic and Engineering modified
Stand alone system
Upload data and pictures
• Improvement Prioritization
Technology Improvements
I-pads
Map based inventory
As the third largest state DOT in the nation, VDOT manages a lot of ADA related traffic assets and facilities
In the past, ADA compliances initiatives were sporadic and mostly managed at project levels. They were funded by individual projects and are very difficult to track. It is hard for VDOT to show substantial compliance. Therefore in 2014, under the direction of Chief Engineer, VDOT started a new ADA program with dedicated funding
Because of the huge scope, VDOT adopted a phased approach
Phase 1 & 2
This presentation about curb ramps – program targets
Regular, not two rows
Virginia Department of Transportation

7. Map Based Inventory Supports: Improvement Prioritization
Accomplishment Tracking
Internal & External Communication
Virginia Department of Transportation

8. Inventory of Barriers Current Inventory Curb Ramps Sidewalks
Traffic Signal APS
Safety Rest Areas
Facilities
Virginia Department of Transportation

9. ADA Transition Plan Schedule
ADA Tracker
Virginia Department of Transportation

10. Don’t ask my neighbor Stakeholder partnerships are important
Community Roundtables
Virginia Department of Transportation

11. We are in this together
Virginia Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration Joint Program Review
Joint Program Review
Assessing VDOT compliance with ADA requirements on alteration projects
Final Report November 2016
Virginia Department of Transportation

12. VDOT’s Plan submitted for final approval
Final Destination
VDOT’s Plan submitted for final approval
Virginia Department of Transportation

13. Questions? Sandra D. Norman Sandra.Norman@VDOT.Virginia.gov
(804)
Virginia Department of Transportation