FAQs

Many areas of the Village of Lincolnwood's public right-of-way are not accessible to people with disabilities and do not comply with accessibility rules, for example: broken (or nonexistent) sidewalks, intersections without curb ramps and crosswalks, and inaccessible street parking. These barriers prevent people with disabilities from having equal access to jobs, education, healthcare, services, transit access, and other important quality of life amenities.

Due to the challenge of bringing the entirety of a community’s pedestrian network into compliance an ADA PROW Transition Plan was developed to assist communities in prioritizing and scheduling future improvements. The transition plan serves as a tool to assist the Village of Lincolnwood to build upon the long-standing commitment to improving accessibility throughout the Village.

A transition plan must:

• Identify physical obstacles that limit accessibility
• Provide an opportunity for the public to participate in developing the plan
• Describe how the facilities will be made accessible
• Include a schedule to achieve compliance
• List the official responsible for implementing the plan

Planning for and building accessible public spaces is the law. Accessibility also benefits the broader community by improving walkability, safety, and access for all, while supporting vibrant and inclusive communities.

Under Title II of the ADA, people with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from state and local governments’ programs, services, and activities. Title II applies to state agencies, villages, cities, counties, special purpose districts, transit agencies, and other entities that use public funds. A self-evaluation is a requirement under Title II of the ADA; it helps public entities identify and document barriers to equal access to create a transition plan for addressing these barriers.  

ADA compliance is important because it improves the resilience of our region. By meeting federal requirements, we can help ensure our region continues to receive millions of dollars in annual transportation funding. 

• Everyone – including people with disabilities – has a right to use pedestrian facilities. 
  • Accessible alternate pedestrian routes are required during closures for construction

• Accessible and safe pedestrian facilities benefit not only people with disabilities, but also people using strollers, elderly people, children, and distracted walkers.
   
• All newly constructed pedestrian facilities must meet applicable standards. 
  • The cost of improvements is never an allowable reason to not provide accessibility.
    
    
• Accessibility is required in many elements of the public right-of-way, including but not limited to: 
  • Pedestrian crossing signals (audible and vibrotactile features) 
  • Crosswalk push buttons and signal cycle timing 
  • Curb ramps 
  • On-street parking 
  • Transit stops 
  • Sidewalk width