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The City of Arvada “Continuing to Build a Great Community” DATE: May 21, 2021 TO: Infrastructure Work System CED Work System FROM: Jacqueline Rhoades, City Engineer SUBJECT: Engineering Directive CDOT M Standard Drawings for Curb Ramps (M-608-1) Purpose: This memo is intended to emphasize the City’s commitment to the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan and provide direction on next steps related to furthering mobility and accessibility for all users of the City’s infrastructure. This memorandum will serve as an engineering policy directive regarding City standards for curb ramps. Background: At the City, we want to support accessibility and mobility for all users of all modes of transportation that connect to our roadways and have an obligation to ensure that the pedestrian facilities are accessible to and usable by qualified people with disabilities. Since the adoption of the 2016 City Engineering Code of Standards and Specifications, we have gained experience with improving accessibility, and the ADA standards have evolved as well. Facilities that were built years ago and according to the 2016 Standards and Specifications may no longer be acceptable according to current best practices. An update to the 2016 Engineering Standards and Specifications is underway and we are incorporating references to the latest revision of the Colorado Department of Transportation M&S Standards for curb ramps. CDOT standard drawings are consistent with the U.S. Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). PROWAG is recognized as industry best practice for transportation facilities accessibility and will likely become enforceable standards under title II of the ADA in the future. The 2016 Engineering Standards and Specifications do not incorporate PROWAG as they relate to curb ramps. Until the 2016 Engineering Standards and Specifications are officially updated and adopted to incorporate PROWAG, the following policy applies to the design, construction, and alteration of pedestrian facilities in the right-of- way. MEMORANDUM ---PAGE BREAK--- The City of Arvada “Continuing to Build a Great Community” Policy: The City has determined to adopt PROWAG standards regarding curb ramps. For consistency with PROWAG, the CDOT M Standard Drawings for Curb Ramps (M-608-1) are to be used for the design, construction, and alteration of all curb ramps in the public right-of-way. Resources: Team members are encouraged to reference the following resources: Curb Ramp As-Built Form. The City will utilize the CDOT Curb Ramp As-Built/Inspection Form for all new construction or alteration projects The City will provide the form to the Contractor at the pre- construction meeting so that expectations for acceptance of curb ramps are made clear at the project start. City Inspectors will complete the final measurements (see measurement guidelines) for the project record. Measurement Guidelines. To standardize the data collection process and generate uniform data for project acceptance, the City Inspector or Project Engineer will collect measurements consistent with the CDOT Curb Ramp Measuring Guidelines. Curb Ramp Variance Form. When a curb ramp is designed, or constructed, and cannot conform to the PROWAG requirements for curb ramps due to a technical impracticability, a Curb Ramp Variance Form will be completed to document these conditions and summarize the steps that were taken to make the curb ramp accessible to the maximum extent practical within the scope of the project. The City shall use the CDOT Curb Ramp Variance Support Document as the template for this form.