CHICAGO disabilities rights law
class action law suit settlement

We need the help of the disability community. No that’s not enough. We need everyone’s help. Chicago has agreed to fix every curb ramp in the City. Chicago will bring every ramp into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and its Accessibility Guidelines.

Every time Chicago resurfaces a street, the curb ramps have to be right. That means the cross street curb ramps and the alley curb ramps as well. It doesn’t matter that the alley or cross street wasn’t paved---Chicago agreed to fix those ramps as well.

We can’t do all the checking ourselves. Too many ramps in too many places. But with YOUR help we can check up and see if the work if being done right.

If you see a problem curb ramp (OF ANY KIND---NEW, OLD or NOT DONE RIGHT), you should call 311 and the City will take corrective action. If anyone fails to get a satisfactory result or if Chicago doesn't do it correctly, send an email to me at ted@wamlaw.com or cdr@disabilityrights.org

Here is what Chicago is supposed to do:

  1. From now on Chicago will only install curb ramps and sidewalks that meet or exceed the specifications of the Federal ADA guidelines (the "ADAAG").

  2. For the next 5 years Chicago will spend $50,000,000 ($10,000,000 per year) in new money to repair and replace curb ramps and sidewalks in high traffic areas which are not on Chicago's schedule for repair or replacement. This is the largest ADA settlement ever. Chicago will also continue to spend approximately eighteen million dollars ($18,000,000) each year installing curb ramps and sidewalks as a part of Chicago's annual resurfacing work.

  3. Chicago shall install curb ramps into intersections of each cross street at its intersection with the alteration or resurfacing, so that the altered or resurfaced intersections are fully accessible to mobility-impaired persons with disabilities. For example: if Chicago paves Dearborn Street from Adams to Monroe, the curb ramps to cross Monroe at Dearborn Street and the curb ramps to cross the alley between Adams and Monroe will be ADA compliant even though Chicago did not pave Monroe or the alley.

You are going to ask me: “Ted, how do I know if the installation is ok? I don’t know what all those lawyers and engineers meant when they wrote this gibberish.”

The answer is to look and see if it is a nice smooth ramp from the street through the gutter to the sidewalk. If it is, it’s probably ok, if not call me or send me an email. AND don’t forget the alleys and cross streets!

Sidewalk Class Action Suit Court Order     Class Action Suit Summary
 

 

Woerthwein & Miller
200 West Madison Street
Suite 710
Chicago, Illinois 60606

Phone:  312-654-0001
Toll Free:  866-524-9460 
FAX:  866-524-9460

Email:  wam@wamlaw.com