DOJ ADA Settlement Agreement with Cedar Rapids

The Dept. of Justice announced a settlement agreement with Cedar Rapids today.  It focuses on both physical and virtual access.  Requiring a wide range facilities and virtual improvements.  Within one year all of Cedar Rapids’ web based information and services will need to comply with the WCAG AA Standard.  This requirement has become common in Project Civic Access agreements and is similar to the standards imposed in settlements with colleges and businesses imposed by the Courts and the Dept. of Education .  This congruence seems to provide a minimum standard for due diligence despite the delays in rule making under the ADA’s  Title II and Title III.

DOJ Press Release:

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to improve access to all aspects of civic life for people with disabilities. The agreement was reached under Project Civic Access, the department's wide-ranging initiative to ensure that cities, towns and counties throughout the country comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the agreement, Cedar Rapids will take important steps to ensure that people with disabilities can fully take advantage of the city's services, programs, and activities by: physically modifying the entrance doors to many of its facilities so that individuals with disabilities may access city services; by making the Veteran's Memorial Building more accessible so individuals with disabilities can access the Fair Housing Office; by physically modifying the entrances to the city's public libraries so that individuals with disabilities can access their services; by enhancing accessibility throughout the city's park system; by installing, repairing or replacing thousands of sidewalks and curb ramps throughout Cedar Rapids to bring them into compliance with current ADA standards; by ensuring that its city parking lots and toilet rooms are accessible to persons with disabilities and ensuring that all of Cedar Rapids' webpages comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0 and website accessibility.

Today's agreement is in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the ADA. Each month, the Justice Blog will spotlight efforts that are opening gateways to full participation and opportunity for people living with disabilities. Today's entry in the Justice Blog features information about the Cedar Rapids settlement and how the Department's work in enforcing the ADA is improving access to sidewalks, parking spaces, curb ramps, and city facilities throughout Cedar Rapids.