Crews from Nate Apple Concrete worked Friday to install handicap-accessible ramps to two sidewalks on the corner of South First and Broadway streets. (Photo by Kristen Waggener / kwaggener@miconews.com)
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Making downtown accessible
City adds ramps downtown to improve access to business district for area’s disabled residents
By Kristen Waggener, kwaggener@miconews.com
Crews began work last week on a project that makes downtown Louisburg more accessible for disabled citizens.
Following several complaints made to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and subsequent letters to the city of Louisburg from the attorney general’s office, the city is constructing a ramp and a van-accessible parking space in two places — at the southwest and northeast corners of South First and Broadway streets.
The city paid $5,500 to have the ramps put in on the sides of the buildings, the most feasible location, said City Administrator Jeff Cantrell.
Part of the reason the ramps are located on the sides of the building, Cantrell said, is because most of the sidewalks in front of the buildings are privately owned by the owners of the buildings.
The other reason “is if we put (the ramps) right in front, the grade differential wouldn’t be able to get the shallow slope required,” Cantrell said.
The city first received a letter from the attorney general’s office about the citizen’s complaint on March 17, and another letter Aug. 4.
And though the ramps provide access to the sidewalks of the downtown businesses, Cantrell said the businesses are not required to provide ADA accessibility unless they do major renovations.
But the city, on the other hand, was required to comply immediately, he said.
“The 1993 Americans With Disabilities Act required government entities to comply whenever reasonably possible.”
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Following several complaints made to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and subsequent letters to the city of Louisburg from the attorney general’s office, the city is constructing a ramp and a van-accessible parking space in two places — at the southwest and northeast corners of South First and Broadway streets.
The city paid $5,500 to have the ramps put in on the sides of the buildings, the most feasible location, said City Administrator Jeff Cantrell.
Part of the reason the ramps are located on the sides of the building, Cantrell said, is because most of the sidewalks in front of the buildings are privately owned by the owners of the buildings.
The other reason “is if we put (the ramps) right in front, the grade differential wouldn’t be able to get the shallow slope required,” Cantrell said.
The city first received a letter from the attorney general’s office about the citizen’s complaint on March 17, and another letter Aug. 4.
And though the ramps provide access to the sidewalks of the downtown businesses, Cantrell said the businesses are not required to provide ADA accessibility unless they do major renovations.
But the city, on the other hand, was required to comply immediately, he said.
“The 1993 Americans With Disabilities Act required government entities to comply whenever reasonably possible.”