Comments on: Wheelchair Ramp To Nowhere

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 16:03:25 +0000

ACHD is worth their own comedy hour/ Most of ACHD direction comes from the mayor & city council plus the Bicycle Coalition with is where Councilperson Hallyburton was a member.
Ask them a question regarding priorities and they take their direction not from the commissioners but from the different mentioned groups. We need a change of command at ACHD.
Emails are a great way to communicate with them as they don’t even know what a declarative sentence is?? Nor will they answer your question.

By: Karl

Karl — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 20:26:09 +0000

I just work here…

By: Forced Air

Forced Air — Mon, 11 Apr 2022 01:55:38 +0000

Yes…the ADA is the policy driver for this icon of transportation engineering.

A catalog of the entire county was created and recommendations for ADA ramps were logged and ACHD has dutifully erected ramps wherever the pins got stuck to the map.

In a big machine, the actions don’t have to make sense, they just have to be. The policy is being followed.

Overall, the majority of ADA ramps are welcomed by everyone who uses independent wheeled transport to get around (scooters, bikes, skateboards, skates, etc.)

I wish that perhaps the machine would exert some judgement on sites like this until a contiguous sidewalk plan unfolds, which doesn’t look likely at this locale. But hey….$$$ flow.

By: Caeth

Caeth — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 15:05:31 +0000

Jared, I have to disagree with your characterization of ACHD. On their web site it appears they have extensive plans for today and way into the future. They also seem able to re-prioritize as emergencies arise, demographics shift and times change. That house was built well before ACHD. I believe new policies and procedures require sidewalks as neighborhoods are developed.

By: Jared

Jared — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 23:13:32 +0000

I considered this the other day while walking around my neighborhood: “What is a a Complete Neighborhood?”

A complete neighborhood has all the sidewalks installed, the ramps are consistent and make sense; the traffic lights are consistent, in place and make sense; it has easy to understand traffic patterns; it has a local business section (Hyde, Cole Rd, etc), and it has the necessary amenities for the neighborhood (e.g. a park); it is connected to a bus route; it has a neighborhood association or several; it is centered around a school; etc.

So, for example from each school within a 3 or 5 mile radius, each ‘hood is improved accordingly.
At some point, the neighborhood becomes complete.

As mentioned, reality is still necessary, but a model to operate from would be helpful. It doesn’t seem like any of our cities, or ACHD have any actual game plan.

As seen above, we have that “questionable” neighborhood on the Bench, this photo is 1 block from an elementary school.

That blue house was built in 1962. Sixty years and still no city sidewalk. I think that is “the issue” rather than a ramp to nowhere.

Sure, that costs a lot of money, but so does building sidewalks along Banbury- and that was not a problem.

Nooooooo sidewalks near a school is what I expect to see in Fairfield, not Boise.

By: Caeth

Caeth — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 19:53:11 +0000

This is the outrage example of why we don’t spend public money for the six lane bridge on a two lane road, saying “we will need it some day”. When the two lane bridge becomes inadequate, the criticism is “why didn’t you plan ahead and buy this with yesterday’s dollars. That intersection is now ready when necessary curb, gutter and sidewalk improvements come. Planning ahead? Fiscally prudent spending today’s tax money to save in the future?

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 17:35:32 +0000

Our concerns of property tax relief need to be directed towards our local public servants now. As budgets are under way. Our state public servants aren’t going to be able to do anything about waste at the city and county levels.
Elected public servants that aren’t qualified and or don’t care are a BIG part of the uncontrolled growth in our state.

By: PD

PD — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 21:44:26 +0000

Not to abuse the dead horse, but it was not built in the past couple weeks. It was re-built in the past couple weeks. I suppose that makes it even complexing. That intersection previously had the brown bump pads instead of yellow, and that corner was cracked cement. Ask the neigbors.

By: PD

PD — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 20:26:41 +0000

To be more clear, they are not wheelchair ramps. They are curb ramps. Also helpful for old people walking in the neighborhood. As for this one, it is one of many built for no immediate benefit. How did this one, all of a sudden, catch attention of the Editor. An artistic photographer could make a collage of such sidewalks and curbs. More disturbing is the mish-mash of those corners where contractors did the work halfas such as 3 of the 4 done, or 2 of the 4, or just 1 out of the intersection.

EDITOR NOTE–This one was built in the past couple weeks. You are correct about the useless ramps abounding in many areas. Some are decades old and abut gravel or dirt barriers.

By: PD

PD — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:58:13 +0000

First, how is these are “wheelchair ramps”?

And the Note says, “I am generally an ADA advocate”.
Or I am generally not an ADA advocate? Is there percentage to apply here?

Beer commercial– “I don’t always advocate for the rights of others, but when I do, watch out!”

EDITOR NOTE–Assuming you seek an answer to your friendly supportive question, here is the answer. I support ADA except when it is useless to all concerned. At the old post office on bank drive the interior door was 40 inches wide, but regs called for a 48 inch opening. They replaced the door with a set of doubles which were each 30 inches wide which made it impossible to allow wheelchair access on either side. (NOTE–numbers may not be exact, but the result was the same, narrower opening)

PD we always appreciate your kind words of support.