Sidewalk & ADA work continues through Holcomb MO & surrounding communities | Daily Dunklin Democrat

Headlines are quick hits from media outlets from Missouri and around the world. Follow the headline link for the full story. The source of this headline says:

Orange signs and delineators continue to fill Holcomb's Church Street, as part of a "transition plan" by MoDOT aimed at adding access areas to people across a 25-county district. . . .

Work in Holcomb includes adding a new layer of sidewalk in place of its aging sections which have narrowed after years of use. MoDOT's current effort is part of a 10-year plan aimed to providing access to areas for all people, including making area sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Such a project could serve as a boon for students taking advantage of the open campus during the lunch hour at Holcomb High School, providing a clear pathway to The Junction in relative safety compared to walking in the street. MoDOT area engineer David Wyman says the walkway will include wheelchair ramps in accordance to ADA regulations.

MoDOT recently completed similar projects in Gideon, Malden and Steele. Current work in Kennett, Sikeston and Holcomb are all expected to be completed by Nov. 1.

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Sidewalk & ADA work continues through Holcomb MO & surrounding communities | Daily Dunklin Democrat

MoBikeFed comment: Several years ago, MoDOT completed sidewalk assessments of nearly all cities in rural and outstate Missouri. These assessments identified areas with poorly maintained sidewalks, ADA accessibility issues, and areas where sidewalks were needed but absent.

Over the intervening years, MoDOT has worked systematically to address the sidewalk gaps identified in these assessments.

In addition, MoDOT has systematically addresses sidewalk improvements and gaps alongside and across MoDOT roads whenever a construction or maintenance project was undertaken on any MoDOT road.

For years we and our advocacy allies across Missouri have worked to encourage MoDOT and our state leaders to undertake systematic assessments of the needs of people who walk and bicycle whenever they undertake projects on their system.

http://MoBikeFed.org/CompleteStreets

The sidewalk assessments and subsequent systematic work to address the sidewalk gaps and issues is a great example of who this type of approach can be very successful in communities across Missouri.

Kudos to MoDOT and to communities across Missouri who have systematically worked to improve their sidewalk systems and make them accessible to all users.