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

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

2019 PBOT CREEC ADA ANNUAL REPORT

2018 PBOT CREEC ADA ANNUAL REPORT

ADA Compliant Curb Ramp Design and Construction Criteria and Forms

• ADA Ramp Design Form (Fillable, 11/18/2020 Updated) 
• ADA Curb Ramp Design Form (Example with Instructions)
• ADA Curb Ramp MEF Justification (Example)
• ADA Curb Ramp Inspection Manual Jan 1st 2021 (includes example and instructions)
• ADA Curb Ramp Inspection Manual May 14th 2020 (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

Red Yellow Green Assessment Tool (Existing Curb Ramps)

Evaluated Ramps in Portlandmaps.com

Excel Spreadsheet with Formatting Macro

Process Instructions

Criteria Page

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 ADA Ramp Squad (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 ADA Ramp Squad (formerly known as 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 ADA Ramp 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 Ramp Squad at:  adaramps@portlandoregon.gov

How may I request the ADA Ramp Squad to design a curb ramp, provide a curb ramp assessment for project scoping, and/or an 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 ADA Ramp Squad.

• How may a person request a curb ramp?
• Go to the City’s main web page 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) web page 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 Ramp Squad at:  adaramps@portlandoregon.gov

Or Contact an ADA Technical Advisor for assistance.

• Tom Bennett, P.E., ADA Technical Advisors Committee Lead (Signals and Street Lighting Engineer)
• Raphael Haou, P.E., (ADA Ramps Squad)
• Eva Huntsinger, P.E.,JD., (CREEC Program Manager)
• Chris Wier, P.E., (Right of Way Programs and Permitting)
• Chon Wong, P.E.,(Permit Engineering Construction)

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 MEFs and how are they used?

Variances and MEFs are the approvals needed when a proposed design does not meet all the criteria given in the Curb Ramp Design Report.  Open the link below for a full explanation describing when a Variance is needed and when a MEF is needed and how to get them.  If you have any questions, just as a PBOT ADA Technical Advisor. 

>>Link<< (306 kb word document)

FAQ -- Guidance Documents

• 11% Maximum Grade Break Requirement Memo

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

• ADA Design Values
• ADA Q&A

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