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The ADA Hazards of Ponding. 

A Mobility Problem you Should Care About,

A Mobility Problem we can solve.

The City of Boston has made mobility for people of all abilities a priority.  This includes developing a New Mobility Team and Transit team dedicated to improving the transportation network in the city.

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Problem:  Rainwater ponds at the low points of some curb ramps.  A large puddle at a curb ramp may seem like an inconvenience to some, but to those with mobility issues (i.e. wheelchair users, etc.) it is an impenetrable barrier. 

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Did you know?  Boston has approximately 120-140 days of rain per year. 

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Determining Scale of Problem:  After a rainstorm on August 28th, 2020 the shaded area on the map above was audited for ponding at curb ramps.  This area included Boylston St, Newbury St, and Commonwealth Ave.  This area was selected due to high pedestrian activity and transit stops (Copley, Arlington etc.).  Within this area five significant ponding issues were discovered (see map for photos and locations).

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Solving the Problem:  Manual clearing will be done by a volunteer or local business. 

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The next step is to increase the audit area to encompass Back Bay and larger sections of Boston.  High pedestrian locations and nearby transit stops should be prioritized.  We will develop an interactive ADA hazard map accessible to residents.  Permanent engineering solutions will be investigated.    

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Want to get involved?  Contact us.

 

 

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