Americans with Disabilities Act - Tulsa's Self Evaluation and Transition Plan
Access to all facets of life for people with disabilities is a
fundamental goal of the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. To
ensure that this goal is met, Title II of the ADA requires local
municipalities to make all programs and services accessible to
persons with disabilities.
In 1992 the City of Tulsa addressed the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act by drafting a Self Evaluation and
Transition Plan. Since 1992 there has been a significant change to
the city of Tulsa in terms of population, increase in physical
size, streets, sidewalks and curb cuts, as well as added City of
Tulsa facilities and programs. For these reasons the City of Tulsa
is initiating an updated Self Evaluation and Transition Plan.
This update includes a citywide inventory of public facilities,
programs and services to evaluate where modifications are needed
for ADA compliance. The City also will implement changes to remove
accessibility barriers identified through the evaluation.
These requirements extend not only to physical access at City of
Tulsa facilities, programs and events, but also to policy changes
that governmental entities must make to ensure that all people with
disabilities can take part in, and benefit from, the programs and
services of the City of Tulsa.
The City of Tulsa has established goals and objectives for this
ADA Self Evaluation and Transition Plan. These are listed
below:
- Improve accessibility for all citizens.
- Encourage participation from the public and disabled
community.
- Educate City staff and the public on the requirements of the
ADA.
- Develop a comprehensive list of barriers.
- Provide a detailed outline of methods to remove barriers.
- Provide a realistic schedule with cost projections for the
removal of barriers.
- Identify funding sources and opportunities to implement a
barrier removal program.
Self Evaluation:
One important way to ensure that the City of Tulsa meets the
requirements of the ADA's Title II is through a self evaluation.
The self evaluation enables local governments to identify the
facilities, programs and services that must be modified or
relocated to ensure that the City of Tulsa does comply with all
aspects of the ADA.
Transition Plan:
The Transition Plan is the structural modifications of any
public entity with 50 or more employees. The City of Tulsa is then
to set a plan to remove identified barriers to access.
In addition, the City of Tulsa must ensure effective
communication - including the provision of necessary auxiliary aids
and services - so that individuals with disabilities can
participate in all aspects of civic life.
Elements of a Transition Plan:
- A list of the physical barriers in the City of Tulsa's
facilities that limit the accessibility of its programs, activities
or services to individuals with disabilities;
- A detailed outline of the methods to be utilized to remove
these barriers and make the facilities accessible;
- The schedule for taking the necessary steps to achieve
compliance with Title II of ADA. If the time period for achieving
compliance is longer than one year, the plan should identify the
interim steps that will be taken during each year of the transition
period; and,
- The name of the official responsible for the plan's
implementation. In Tulsa, this is Dr. Lana Turner-Addison, Director
of the City Human Rights Department.
Under the leadership of Dr. Turner-Addison, City staff members
have been working to update the Self Evaluation and Transition
Plan. In the Public Works Department, Brent Stout of Engineering
Services serves as project manager, working with consultants
Kimley-Horn & Associates and Accessology Too, LLC., and the
University of Oklahoma.
"Through a partnership between the Human Rights Department and
the Public Works Department, we will use this process to improve
the city of Tulsa through increased accessibility," said Dr.
Michael Smith, Compliance Investigations Administrator for the
Human Rights Department.
The City also has formed both a steering committee and an
advisory committee to help guide this project to completion and
implementation. Committee members include professionals, concerned
citizen groups and disabled consumers who require access throughout
the City to maintain their independence.
The City of Tulsa has budgeted $390,000 for this project.
Funding has come from a combination of several sources: the 2001
Third Penny Sales Tax, the 2005 General Obligation Bond Issue, and
the 2006 Third Penny Sales Tax.
