Freeport to replace non-compliant accessibility ramps over next decades

FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) — The City of Freeport is undertaking an expensive, multi-decade project to bring accessibility ramps for disabled people in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

About 75% of the ramps in Freeport are not compliant with the act’s regulations, according to Acting Public Works Director Darin Stykel.

Freeport has over 1,800 ADA ramps. Each ramp costs around $20,000 to replace.

“The city of Freeport started approximately a year ago with a plan to evaluate all the ramps and accessibility needs within the city of Freeport and the right of ways,” Darin said.

The city collected data and put it in a “

living document.”

“We wanted to create the living documents that could be updated, and they’ll always be a resource on the City Hall site, along with the policy and plan that we put together that gives a grievance process for anybody that feels like a ramp in their neighborhood might be not compliant or it can be fixed,” Darin said.

The city is replacing some of the noncompliant ramps with federal and state funding, along with local road project funding.

“In the last three years, the City of Freeport has replaced about 322 ADA ramps. We have another 50 scheduled for this year,” said Darin.

Megan Ebert, Youth Services Director for RAMP, a nonprofit disability service, said the changes will benefit those with disabilities.

“I think that whenever we have an opportunity to make our community more inclusive, we should take that opportunity. And it’s really exciting that we’re going to give everyone access to the goods and services that they need,” she said.

Darin said replacing all of the accessibility ramps in Freeport will take time and money.

“We’re targeting 25 years, based on the finances that will be required for this project. Currently, in 2025, we have about $25 million in ramps to replace. If we extrapolate that for the cost of inflation over the 25 years, that will climb to nearly $38 million,” he said.

A majority of the funding will come from Freeport’s 1% sales tax.

“This project is able to be funded and move forward because of the 1% sales tax that the city of Freeport took on,” he added. “We wouldn’t have the funding currently to replace ramps or even fixed streets if we didn’t have that funding.”