Thornton has continued to make significant progress in identifying and rectifying issues that may inhibit access around the city. The initial ADA Transition Plan was completed in 2020 and it has now been updated to reflect all the advancements made in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This plan evaluates the city's existing facilities (including parks), pedestrian amenities within the public Right-of-Way, and the city's standards and practices as they pertain to accessibility.
As required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and 28 CFR 35.105, the city developed a formal Transition Plan in 2020 to improve accessibility throughout the city. This Transition Plan has been updated in 2021, 2022 and 2023 to reflect all of the changes made since then. As a part of this effort, the city continues to retain an engineering consultant, Alfred Benesch & Co, to assist city staff in continuing to develop and maintain the ADA Transition Plan. Additional work with the consultant will continue in 2024.
The city developed a process for creating, implementing, and maintaining the Transition Plan. In 2020, this included conducting a self-evaluation looking at existing policies and procedures as well as inventorying and assessing existing pedestrian facilities to identify access barriers to persons with disabilities within the public Right-of-Way parks, and city buildings. This process documented the facilities throughout the city and the areas that perhaps needed to be improved to be more accessible. Part of this evaluation process included a public outreach program to gain public input to help identify particular existing areas of concern. This assisted in providing the framework for developing the original ADA Transition Plan and the guidelines for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 efforts and future updates.
What's Happening?
The updated ADA Transition Plan has been completed and posted for public review.
Several ADA related projects were conducted in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and included, but were not limited to, the following:
Building Maintenance
1st Floor Training Room - Lower Counter
2nd Floor Kitchen Area - Lower Counter
NEW CH - Employee Lunchroom Counter
EOC/Training Room - Touchless ADA Button
1st Floor Restrooms - Touchless ADA Pushbuttons
Lower Level Restrooms - Touchless ADA Pushbuttons
PD 2nd Level Door From the Secured Parking Lot - Move Interior Door to Allow for ADA Accessibility
Added 27 ADA Compliant Plumbing Fixtures - Justice Center
1st Floor Doors that Access the Stairwell - ADA Touchless Pushbuttons
2nd Floor Doors that Access the Stairwell - ADA Touchless Pushbuttons
Notifying Alarm on the East Door of the Community Room for After-Hour Meetings
1st Level - Touchless ADA Pushbuttons on East Hallway Doors
Restrooms - Touchless ADA Pushbuttons (4)
Touchless Faucet in the Wildflower Room
Replace the sidewalk at fire station 4
Sidewalk Gap Project at 104th and York Street
Sidewalk Replacement at Fire Station #4
Missing Ramp Project at Poze Blvd. and 91st Ave.
Pushbutton Project at 100th Ave. and Grant St.
Pushbutton Project at Huron St. and Milky Way
Pushbutton Project at Grant St. at Horizon Center
Pushbutton Project at Colorado Blvd. and Riverdale Rd.
Pushbutton Project at 88th Ave. and Grant St.
Missing Ramp Project at 99th Ave. and York St.
Pushbutton Project at 104th Ave. and Steele St.
Pushbutton Project at 128th Ave. and Holly St.
Pushbutton Project at Thornton Parkway and York Street
Missing Ramp Project at 100th Ave. and Detroit St.
Missing Ramp Project at 110th Pl. and Colorado Blvd.
Ramp Project at Holly and 140th Ave (SE Corner)
Ramp Project at Holly and 140th Ave (SW Corner)
Ramp Project at Thornton Pkwy and Vine St (SW Corner)
Ramp Project at Thornton Pkwy and Vine St (SE Corner)
Sidewalk Installation at Vine St., South of Thornton Pkwy.
128th Ave. and Quebec St. - Landing Install at Northwest Corner
Precision Trip Hazard Inspect/Removal - STEM School & East Original Thornton
Ramp Project at Ogden and Eppinger
Ramp Project at Yucca and South Dead End SE
Ramp Project at York St and Clayton SW
Ramp Project at Lafayette and 130th Ave NW
Ramp Project at Thornton Parkway – Huron to Pecos
Ramp Project at Washington Street – 162nd to Highway 7
Ramp Project at 104th and Washington to I 25 COT ROW
Ramp Project at Cottonwood Lake Blvd – Colorado Blvd to Summit Grove Pkwy
Ramp Project at 88th Avenue – Huron to Pecos
Ramp Project at Riverdale Road – Colorado Blvd to 95th Ave
Ramp Project at 120th Avenue – Washington St to Pavement Change West of Grant COT ROW
Ramp Project at Franklin Street – High Street to 134th Ave
Ramp Project at Birch Street – 112th Ave to 120th Ave
Ramp Project at Eppinger Blvd – Washington St to Fir St
Ramp Project at Eppinger Blvd – East of Washington St
Trailwinds Recreation Center – Ramps and Parking Lot Upgrades
Ramp Project at 98th Avenue/100th Avenue to Washington St
Ramp Project at 112th to 119th Avenues
Ramp Project at 166th Avenue Highway 7 to Race Street
Ramp Project at 130th Logan to 134th Street
Ramp Project at 130th Holly to Locust Skip Traffic Circle
Ramp Project at Hurton Street to 88th Avenue
Ramp Project at Ehler Street to Yosemite
Ramp Project at 100th Avenue to Pecos
Ramp Project at 112th Avenue to 120th Avenue
Ramp Project at Holly Street to 117th Avenue
Ramp Project at Holly Circle – Holly to Jasmine Street
Sidewalk Project in Northstar Neighborhood – Starlight Road to Polaris Street
Accessibility Route created at 95th and Vine
Pushbutton Project at 120th and Mission Trace
Pushbutton Project at 120th and Washington Street
To date, the following barriers have been removed:
Curb Ramps: 35
Sidewalks - 3,625 linear feet
Pedestrian Pushbuttons - 32 (height adjusted)
Asphalt Project - Archery Range
Portable Assistive Listening Systems for Parks/Recreation Rooms
Two ADA Door Operations – Carpenter Recreation Center and Trailwinds Recreation Center
Concrete Replacement at Community, North Creek, and Croke Parks
Concreate Repair and Widening at Lily, Loma Linda, and Eastlake Historic Parks
Two additional ADA swings at Brandon Place Park
Additional engineering field work will continue in 2024 specifically in the areas of city sidewalks, curbs, ramps, and pedestrian pushbuttons. This field work will assist the city in identifying the ADA related project funding in 2024 and beyond. Two large ADA related projects will be conducted in 2024 at the Community Park and additional ADA projects will be completed at the City Community Pool, and Park Village Pool.
Get Involved!
The updated ADA Transition Plan is available for public review. Please click the link above to view the plan and send any feedback or questions to the individuals listed below:
Contacts
Bill Rush City of Thornton Project Manager Director of Risk Management Bill.Rush@ThorntonCO.gov (303) 538-7306
Jess Hastings Consultant Project Manager jhastings@benesch.com 7979 E. Tufts Avenue, Suite 800 Denver, CO 80210 (303) 771-6868