In 2015, the City of Cedar Rapids executed a Project Civic Access Settlement Agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Project Civic Access is a wide-ranging, proactive initiative designed to ensure that cities and counties throughout the country comply with the ADA by eliminating physical and communication barriers.
City departments have been working to address all of the findings included in the Settlement Agreement. The City also hired an independent licensed architect and accessibility firm to survey all remaining City facilities and sites to identify barriers and to assist in the development of the City's transition plan to remediate these barriers. Work to correct these compliance issues range from moving a restroom grab bar or soap dispenser to larger projects such as reconstructing accessible routes or parking spaces. In addition, the City has been correcting all inaccessible curb ramps that have been constructed or altered since January 26, 1992 to meet ADA compliance standards.
On May 5, 2019, the Department of Justice closed its file on the settlement agreement due to the adequate demonstration of progress in making accessbility improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in:
- City programs, policies, and procedures;
- City-owned facilities, park sites and infrastructure; and
- Curb ramps
Settlement Agreement between the United States of America and the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Settlement Agreement File Closure Letter
Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
ADA Update
The City of Cedar Rapids is committed to the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act and will continue to strive to be the most accessible community in Iowa. See the progress that has been made below:
| City-owned facilities | City Parks and facilities |
Upcoming Projects (2021)
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Curb Ramps
- 4,710 curb ramps have been built since 2016
- 832 curb ramps constructed in 2020
- 743 curb ramps will be constructed in 2021
- 90% accuracy rate on initial installment of ramps
Investing in ADA Improvements
ADA improvement totals to date (2016-2021) - $37 M allocated for all ADA improvements projects (money spent or budgeted through FY21): $17M for curb ramps; $13M for Parks and Recreation facilities & sites; $7M for city-owned facilities, parking ramps, and skywalks.
New Construction
The City has initiated a proactive review process to ensure that all new and renovated City facilities and sites are fully compliant with ADA requirements and State and local code. All project designs are reviewed by the City's accessibility consultant and Facilities staff trained on the ADA standards. Throughout the construction phase, Facilities staff make frequent site visits including a punch list and final walk through. Once the project is complete, a post-construction audit is conducted by the accessibility consultants. The goal of this involved review process is to address all compliance issues as early as possible to ensure our facilities are fully accessible and to eliminate the need for future remediation efforts.
