click on any icon for specific streetscape opportunities and solutions

infrastructure for accessible streets

As we celebrate 35 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s worth taking a quick look at all concrete improvement that legislation has brought to our streets, from curb cuts to audible crosswalk signals. As with other streetscape components, though, Covington’s very old urban core presents challenges. The city’s public works department has diligently kept up with physical accommodations as required, but past the curb cut there’s often an obstruction from, for example, Duke utility poles. And amenities like raised crosswalk striping and audible crossing signals are all too rare in Covington. Truly functional and welcoming streets must accommodate every user.

opportunities

A priority for accessible streets is a simple baseline: proactive defense of sidewalks unobstructed by utility poles. Instead of accepting haphazardly placed obstacles, Covington leaders must reassert control of our streets and ensure that every resident can navigate the city as smoothly as is possible, even if statute and franchise agreements complicate the effort.

And on ADA-mandated improvements, COVstreets will identify and record obstacles to universal mobility, from damaged sidewalks to crumbling curb cuts to missing audible crosswalk signals.

solutions

Steady progress on routine accessibility improvements:

  • curb cut maintenance

  • adding audible crosswalk signals to more intersections

  • raised crosswalk striping at every intersection

Inter-jurisdiction cooperation to eliminate unnecessary obstacles to mobility:

  • utility pole replacement per design standards and common sense

  • storm drain standardization and regular tactile marking

  • intersection signaling and crossing time adjustment for mobility-challenged pedestrians