Portland considers $113M sidewalk fixes settlement

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Portland would upgrade more than 16,000 sidewalk ramps at a cost of about $113 million over 12 years if city officials agree to a proposed settlement.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the city council will consider next week settling a class-action legal dispute with mobility-disabled residents by promising to change how the city builds and maintains sidewalks.

Under the settlement, the city would pledge to create 1,500 curb cuts a year, more than double the current rate of about 700 a year. The city would also survey street corners, install proper sidewalk cutouts when building new roads and walkways and appoint a technical adviser to guide the work.

The settlement proposal comes after residents filed complaints claiming the city wasn’t adhering to the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com