Updating The ADA

After 14 years of studying the implications, the Justice Department is considering modifying standards for accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The changes look very positive for us because they bring the federal regulations in line with Building Codes the City of St. Louis already uses. They also make many standards clearer where, in the past, architects have had to guess — sometimes with unnecessary, impractical, or excessively expensive outcomes — what the current standards mean.

I like the idea of clearer federal standards that make things more predictable for builders, and easier for courts to enforce fairly. Our public buildings and spaces should be accessible to our whole community.