By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
State Community Crossings grants have provided major assistance to Decatur in the past seven or eight years, enabling it to resurface large numbers of streets.
The grants have also paid off in another manner, helping the city to remain in compliance with American Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
Most of the areas improved last year involve handicap ramps.
“We were required to do 12 last year and we did 48,” Operations Manager Jeremy Gilbert recently informed city council in his annual ADA Review.
“Thank goodness for Community Crossings,” he said, noting that the city also used some of its Motor Vehicle Highway (MVH) and sidewalk monies.
In all, the 48 improvements were made at 21 locations across the city, including 7 at various Nuttman Ave. intersections, plus 5 others on Fifth street.
With the passage of the ADA, federal officials began requiring compliance back in 2012.
The report also showed the various ramps improvements which are color coded, a system Gilbert said he uses as “it helps to prioritize.”
He added that anyone with a request to have a barrier handicap ramp removed should contact him at jgilbert@decatur.org, or by calling 724-3356.
“I’m proud to say that we had zero requests last year,” Gilbert told council.