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Berkeley has been spending an average of $500,000 a year on making public buildings accessible despite the lack of a formal transition plan required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The 35-page Transition Plan, which is four years overdue, has been approved by the City Attorney’s Office and is being reviewed by the city manager. The document will be made public later this month, when it goes to the Commission on Disability.  

City officials said despite the lack of a formal plan, Berkeley has steadily moved forward with accessibility projects in public parks and buildings. 

The American With Disabilities Act became law in 1990 and gives the disabled civil rights protection similar to rights guaranteed to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin and religion. It also requires all American cities to develop plans and implement alterations to public buildings to improve access to the disabled. 

Some members of the Commission on Disability have criticized the city’s Disabilities Services Specialist Eric Dibner, for not completing the transition plan sooner. 

Dibner said the city has been installing wheelchair ramps, modifying playgrounds and improving access in libraries and other buildings despite the lack of an approved plan. 

“Besides the new Main Library and Civic Center, which will be ADA compliant when construction is completed, we have implemented accessibility projects at all three senior centers, some of the libraries, as well as other buildings and some parks.” Dibner said. 

One of the recently completed accessibility projects was the Claremont Library on Benvenue and Ashby avenues. The improvements include a modified access ramp, automatic door openers, completely new bathrooms and increased spacing between bookshelves, according to the librarian Dawn Swanson. 

But Commissioner Karen Craig, said it’s surprising that Berkeley, a city that has a large disabled population and has been on the forefront of disabled issues, has not yet approved a transition plan when other cities like San Francisco and Oakland did long ago. 

“Berkeley was the first to adopt a curb cutting program and is the location of the first Center of Independent Living. We should have been one of the first cities to have a Transition Plan completed,” she said. 

Director of Public Works Rene Cardinaux said Dibner had been so busy implementing ADA modifications, he did not have adequate time to write the transition plan more quickly. But the lack of an approved plan hasn’t hurt accessibility projects at all. He said the primary reason for completed projects to date is the willingness of the community and the City Council to approve money for accessibility projects. 

“No matter how aggressive a written plan is, you can only move ahead as fast as the money will let you,” he said. “We live in a fortunate political environment and the city has plunked down about $500,000 every year for curb cuts and building improvements.” 

Councilmember Dona Spring said she understands why some members of the commission are frustrated, although she’s convinced the city is accomplishing as much as it can with or without a formal transition plan.  

“Government often moves very slowly and I think the commission has been able to cut through a lot of red tape by getting automatic doors put on senior centers and improving curb cuts to the latest specifications.” 

According to Dibner other accessibility improvements have been carried out at some fire stations and recreation centers. Also pathways and play equipment have been adapted in several of the city’s parks including Aquatic Park and Berkeley Way Mini Park.