Frequently Asked Questions with Answers (FAQs) regarding ADA curb ramp scoping, design and construction criteria, along with helpful resources and presentations are provided here.  The site is updated monthly.

• Program handbill: used for regular inspections
• Maintenance handbill: used for scoping work
• Upgrades handbill: used for (re)construction of ramps

2018 PBOT CREEC ADA ANNUAL REPORT

ADA Compliant Curb Ramp Design and Construction Criteria and Forms

• ADA Curb Ramp Design Form (Example with Instructions)
• ADA Curb Ramp Variance (Example)
• ADA Curb Ramp Inspection Manual (Includes example and instructions)
• Crosswalk Closure Form
• USDOT/FHWA Designing Sidewalks and Trails for Access:  Review of Existing Guidelines and Practices
• USDOT/FHWA Designing for Sidewalks and Trails for Access:  Best Practices Design Guide

City Engineer Directives

• ST 001 Traffic Signal Improvements and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• ST 002 City of Portland ADA Curb Ramp Design Criteria and Approvals
• ST 003 City of Portland ADA Curb Ramp Location within the Legal Crosswalk

Letter of Intent - Coordinated Designs on ODOT/PBOT Streets

• Design Review of Curb Ramps on or Along State Highways

Curb Ramp Scoping

The ADA requires that when a project constructs a new pedestrian facility (e.g. a new sidewalk or ped-push button), resurfaces a portion of the street, or performs other alterations, the project must provide ADA Compliant curb ramps along the route as part of the project. 

• Criteria for Assessing Existing Curb Ramps                  7 MB PowerPoint *.pptx file
• ADA Curb Ramp Triggers -- The Big 4 (Powerpoint)    15 MB PowerPoint *.pptx file
• Flexibility and Requesting Out of Scope Ramps            7 MB PowerPoint *.pptx file

ADA Curb Ramps Frequently Asked Questions with Answers

What is CREEC and what is the CREEC Squad?

• CREEC stands for the Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center.  The City worked with CREEC and Linda Dardarian (Goldstein, Borgen, Dardarian & Ho) to obtain a Settlement Agreement for constructing or remediating 1500 curb ramps per year over the next twelve years (2019-2030), along with other ADA efforts, to make Portland a most accessible City.  The CREEC Squad is the group within PBOT that verifies that each ramp constructed or remediated meets requirements.

My project was scoped and funded years ago and did not include ADA Curb Ramp upgrades.  Are there opportunities for additional funding and design support?

• The ADA requires that curb ramps be constructed and upgraded as part of the public improvement project (or paving effort).  For older projects that were not scoped to meet ADA requirements, the CREEC Squad is available to provide guidance to ensure that the project is ADA compliant to the maximum extent feasible within the scope of the project and, in some cases, may be able to provide additional funding for adding more ADA ramps to the project.   For more information contact the PBOT ADA CREEC Program at:  adacreecprogram@portlandoregon.gov

How may I request the CREEC Squad to design a curb ramp, provide a curb ramp assessment for project scoping, and/or a CREEC ADA curb ramp inspection for a City project? 

• Tag, complete and submit the form for the type of request. Expect a follow-up response within 5 business days from the CREEC Program Specialist.

• How may a person request a curb ramp?
• Go to the City’s main webpage and tag the I Want To Request An ADA Curb Ramp Link at https://www.portlandoregon.gov/ .   This will take you to the RBR (Ramps By Request) webpage which provides an overview of the program, prioritization criteria and the ADA Curb Ramp Request Form. 

Whom may I contact for more information and assistance?

• By Email:  PBOT ADA CREEC Program at:  adacreecprogram@portlandoregon.gov

Contact an ADA Technical Advisors for assistance.

• Chon Wong, P.E. (Permit Engineering Construction)
• Raphael Haou, P.E. (Civil Design and Construction Management)
• Jimi Joe, P.E. (Civil Design and Construction Management)
• Chris Wier, P.E. (Right of Way Programs and Permitting)
• Eva Huntsinger, P.E. (CREEC Program Manager)

What if a ramp does not entirely reside in the legal crosswalk?

For a proposed ramp that does not entirely reside within a non-marked legal crosswalk, consultation and approval by the City Traffic Engineer (or delegate) is required. This element of the ramp must be noted on the ADA Curb Ramp Design Form (Item D), along with written justification/approval by the Traffic Engineer attached or otherwise incorporated into the Ramp Form, and the Form signed by an ADA Technical Advisor.

What are ADA variances and how are they used?

Variances are the written documentation used to describe when a curb ramp cannot meet the requirements stated in the Curb Ramp Design Form. Variances are documented on the ADA Curb Ramp Design Form, signed and approved by an ADA Technical Advisor.

If any ADA Curb Ramp Design Form Criteria A through I cannot be met, the term “Variance” is used, not “Design Exception.” Variances are approved by an ADA Technical Advisor. The signed Form is kept with the project files, and when a Maximum Extent Feasible (MEF) justification is required, the Form also goes to CREEC Squad.

A Maximum Extent Feasible (MEF) justification is required when ADA Curb Ramp Criteria cannot be met due to structural, adjacent building, or other physical constrains exist. MEFs must be signed and stamped by the design engineer, and approved by an ADA Technical Advisor. MEFs must be placed in BOTH the project design files and with the CREEC Squad, adacreecprogram@portlandoregon.gov

The following are examples of when MEF justifications are not required.

Maximum Extent Feasible Standards are provided below.

            Attend an ADA Curb Ramp Workshop offered by our ADA Technical Advisors.  They will help you to answer tricky design and scoping issues, obtain variances, and answer your ADA questions.

FAQ -- Guidance Documents

• 11% Maximum Grade Break Requirement Memo

FAQ -- Log (Provides running log of questions asked to date with responses- updated monthly)

• ADA Design Values
• ADA Q&A
• Inspection video 4 feet vs 2 feet

Other References

• Portland Pedestrian Design Guide
• Portland Public Streets Design Guide
• Portland ADA Curb Ramp Program  -  21 MB PowerPoint (*.pptx)
• Pedestrian Push Button Criteria  -  34 MB PowerPoint (*.pptx)
• Curb Ramp Standard Drawings 
• Special Provision -- Strict Conformance Specification - Use This on All Projects with Sidewalk Ramps