New sidewalk curb cuts under construction on several blocks in a row, as in much of Ann Arbor. I thought both cities were “broke.” Why are they both replacing curb cuts now? Is there a federal curb cut program?
Ypsilanti Cross Street
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Yes. The Ypsilanti curb cuts are being paid for by Community Development Black Grant money provided by HUD through the Urban County. Ann Arbor is under a consent decree to put in the curb cuts because the city was sued by the Center for Independent Living. The curb cuts must meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The curb cuts in down town Ann Arbor are being paid for by the DDA. Is there some problem with supplying access to disabled people?
That’s “Block” not “Black” – from the Queen of the typos – sorry!
The curbcuts, bumpouts, etc on Cross Street in Ypsi are not being paid for from the CDBG funds, or as a result of the CIL settlement. They’re part of an MDOT Transportation Enhancement grant project. More details can be found here: [link]
The others are paid for by CDBG.
If the curb cuts in Ypsilanti were being paid for with CDBG dollars I would be far more aggravated about them, since using CDBG funds to pour concrete is a sad waste. However, so was the Obama Administration’s ARRA “stimulus” super-borrow-and-spend program that brought this this project. More would be done to help Cross St. businesses, Depot Town, and the Midtown neighborhood by spending the few dollars needed to make Cross St. and Huron St. two-way than will ever be gained by all of this concrete….
…and unlike Ann Arbor apparently, we in Ypsilanti already had very nice ADA-compliant curb ramps all along this street – fairly new ramps that were summarily ripped out for this mega-do-over.