1. Thi ki O t id th BThinking Outside the Bus
Austin Accessibility Assessment IMprovement (AAAIM)Austin Accessibility Assessment IMprovement (AAAIM)
Sheila Holbrook-White, Texas Citizen Fund
Roberto Gonzalez, Capital Metro
L A i Ci f A i
Project funded by
Lee Austin, City of Austin
Glenn Gadbois, Gadbois Consulting

2. Taking AAAIMTaking AAAIM

3. AAAIMing

4. City of Austin Sidewalk Master PlanCity of Austin Sidewalk Master Plan
• Developed by COA Public
Works in 2009Works in 2009
• Serves as City’s required ADA
transition plantransition plan
• Inventory of missing sidewalk
segments (3500 linear miles)g ( )
• Sidewalks ranked according
to matrix (150 linear miles -
hi h i i )highest priority)
• AAAIM’s work provides a
check of prioritization andcheck of prioritization and
focus for action

5. Walkway System Short Term IssuesWalkway System - Short-Term Issues
• Maintenance
• Accessibility gaps• Accessibility gaps
• Lack of public awareness of
established system to reportestablished system to report
and track problem locations

6. Walkway System - Long Term IssuesWalkway System Long Term Issues
• Continued intra-agency
coordination
– Texas DOT
– Capital Metro
T i C t– Travis County
• Funding for large retrofit
projectsprojects
• Addressing new development
and redevelopmentand redevelopment

7. Walkway System - Ongoing IssuesWalkway System Ongoing Issues
• Coordination betweenCoordination between
COA departments, trade
offs between competing
interestsinterests
• Attention must be paid to
t dititemporary conditions as
well as ongoing
• Including needs of users
on the “front end”
• Follow-up is essential

8. COA Comprehensive Plan UpdateCOA Comprehensive Plan Update
• Just getting underwayg g y
• Big Picture policy level
plan covering the
“Whole Shebang”
• Transportation and
Strategic Mobility PlanStrategic Mobility Plan
are critical components
• Vision for the futureVision for the future
• Input and feedback are
crucial to create an
viable plan

9. Strategic Mobility PlanStrategic Mobility Plan
• Collect input on current system “gaps”
– Advocacy groups such as AAAIM
– Neighborhood groups
– Citizens
• Address problems with all forms of transportationp p
• “Bottom up” process as opposed to “top down”

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P j ki• Project ranking system -
Austin specific and mode
neutral
• Identify projects that may
be implemented over abe implemented over a
number of bond cycles
• Input from groups such as
AAAIM help to develop
data to substantiate
priorities

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• Field investigation of all 40 sitesField investigation of all 40 sites
• Looked at priority on Sidewalk Master Plan
• Sorted issues into maintenance, missing accessibilitySorted issues into maintenance, missing accessibility
pieces, and long-term infrastructure improvements with
improvements proceeding toward resolution

12. BackgroundBackground
Board Direction - “Identify the number of bus stops not
compliant with current ADA accessibility regulations and
develop a plan to bring these into compliance”
• Response – Develop and implement an evaluation of all
bus stops (system wide) to confirm accessibility status
• Approach – Photographic survey of all bus stops and
general accessibility assessment from review of
photographsphotographs
• Community Involvement – Outreach to City of Austin
Sid lk T kf ADAPT A tSidewalk Taskforce, ADAPT, Access, etc.

13. ImprovementsImprovements
• Ongoing - Program to improve bus stops including
passenger furniture and accessibilitypassenger furniture and accessibility
• Accessibility entails:
Firm and stable surface– Firm and stable surface
– Minimum dimensions (5 ft. parallel to road and 8 ft.
perpendicular to road)p p )
– Maximum 2% slope
– Connects to a sidewalk, road or pedestrian path with
an accessible route
• Coordination – Involvement with local private and public
entities including the City of Austin and Texasentities including the City of Austin and Texas
Department of Transportation

14. 79&*%#"9"4). " :;59&$".79&*%#"9"4).! :;59&$".
– Firm and stable surfaceFirm and stable surface
– Includes 5 ft. by 8 ft. pad
– Generally a maximum 2% slopeGenerally a maximum 2% slope
– Connectivity

15. ProcessProcess
• CMTS Database –
maintains bus stopmaintains bus stop
information (passenger
facilities) including
photographs
• Geographic System –
software incorporatingsoftware incorporating
mapping and tabular data
– Allows integration intoAllows integration into
other software systems
– Catalogue guides
ongoing improvement
program

16. ProcessProcess
• Stops with known accessibility usage/needs
– Customer/Community engagement
• Move and relocate passenger infrastructure (benches,
litter containers, poles, etc.)
• Highest ridership stops/corridors first (dovetails with
upcoming bus stop sign project) - for efficiency, other
proximal stops will evaluated at the same timeproximal stops will evaluated at the same time.
• Community Involvement – Outreach to City of Austin
Sidewalk Taskforce ADAPT Access etcSidewalk Taskforce, ADAPT, Access, etc.

17. PolicyPolicy
Multi - Year Program
• Funding required for all improvements
approximately $15,000,000
• Annual Funding commitment ($1,500,000
allocated for FY 2010)allocated for FY 2010)
• Improvements to be made efficiently and in
conjunction with potential major route systemconjunction with potential major route system
adjustments (i.e. Downtown Austin Plan,
Comprehensive Operational Analysis, etc)Comprehensive Operational Analysis, etc)

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• More “on-the-ground” information analyzed
by users is helpful.
• Users serve as a “double check”Users serve as a double check
• People support solutions they helped create.
• To maximize efficiencies and mutual benefits,
collaboration needs to occur throughoutg
project stages from planning, design,
programming, through construction.