Snohomish County pedestrian facility access survey closing Oct. 3

Residents and those who work in or travel through Snohomish County have until Oct. 3 to provide feedback on the accessibility of the county's pedestrian facilities. Input will help the Public Works Department identify issues that keep the public and their families and friends from accessing curb ramps, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, sidewalks, bus stops, and alternate facilities in work zones within unincorporated Snohomish County. The feedback will also help Public Works prioritize the removal of barriers found during a self-evaluation study of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

September 26, 2016 1:02 pm
Snohomish County - Contributed art
Snohomish County - Contributed art

Residents and those who work in or travel through Snohomish County have until Oct. 3 to provide feedback on the accessibility of the county’s pedestrian facilities. Input will help the Public Works Department identify issues that keep the public and their families and friends from accessing curb ramps, crosswalks, pedestrian signals, sidewalks, bus stops, and alternate facilities in work zones within unincorporated Snohomish County. The feedback will also help Public Works prioritize the removal of barriers found during a self-evaluation study of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.

The study found that 93 percent of Public Works’ curb ramps, 60 percent of its sidewalks, 60 percent of its pushbuttons, and 90 percent of its bus stop facilities do not meet current ADA standards. Additionally, it will take the department decades and more than one billion dollars to meet the standards. By doing this work, individuals with disabilities as well as anyone else who travels in the county will benefit.

To provide feedback, visit the online public meeting and take our survey and/or sign-up to participate in a focus group:

• Online public meeting: www.SnoCoADA.org – Learn about the results of Public Works’ self-evaluation study.

• Survey: http://sgiz.mobi/s3/Snocoada-survey – Provide feedback and help prioritize the removal of barriers.

• Focus group: http://sgiz.mobi/s3/Snocoada-FocusGroup – Sign up to participate in a mid-October focus group conducted by a private consulting firm. A monetary incentive will be provided by the consultant to participants who attend and contribute to the conversation.

Both the online public meeting and the surveys will be available through Oct. 3.

Public Works announced its self-evaluation study and the online public meeting on Sept. 1.

Questions or comments can be directed to Ryan Peterson at 425-388-3488 ext. 2883 (TTY: 711) or Ryan.Peterson@snoco.org. For more information about the Public Works ADA Compliance Program and to read the draft self-evaluation study, visit www.snohomishcountywa.gov/pwADA.