Bend works to make city sidewalks more accessible

BEND, Ore. (AP) - Crews are working to fix sidewalks throughout bend to make them more accessible to disabled residents.

The Bulletin reports (https://is.gd/dip6Y3 ) that over the next several months, city crews will bring curb ramps, sidewalks and bus stops on Third Street into compliance with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. The $3.5 million project is one of hundreds of projects across the city working to make sidewalks and curb ramps compliant.

In 2001, four people in Bend filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice saying that Bend wasn’t accessible. The city reached a settlement with the DOJ in 2004. As part of the settlement, Bend had 10 years to fix buildings, sidewalks and curb ramps.

The DOJ stopped monitoring progress in 2014 but the city is still working to become ADA-compliant.

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Information from: The Bulletin, https://www.bendbulletin.com