Access Augusta

ADA Information Historically, buildings were not constructed to accommodate people with physical disabilities. On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. Since 1990, new businesses and facilities are required to make certain accommodations for persons with disabilities. The focus of this study is two fold: to measure accessibility in Augusta, Georgia and to compile a user-friendly guide to accessibility in Augusta. ADA gives persons with disabilities a civil rights protection under United States law. The ADA does not preempt any federal, state, or local law that provides greater or equal protection. The ADA protects opportunities for persons with disabilities in the areas of employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. Title III of the ADA addresses public accommodations. This area in particular will be the focus of this study. Title III of the ADA covers all public facilities including: restaurants, hotels, theaters, retail stores, museums, libraries, parks, private schools, daycare centers and facilities that are used by social service agencies and healthcare service providers. Title III requires that buildings already in existence must remove architectural barriers where removal is “readily achievable,” (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) or, “easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without too much difficulty or expense” (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990). Accommodations must be made to allow persons access to: parking areas, walkways, ramps, entrances, display racks, signage, doors, alarms, restrooms, toilet stalls, grab bars, and other necessary areas. If access can not be created by the “readily achievable” standard, a facility may provide a substitute service such as offering home delivery or a drive-up window. New facilities must be “readily accessible to and useable by” (Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990) persons with disabilities at any financial expense (Pedretti and Early, 2001). Previous additions of Access Augusta: An Architectural Barrier Guide from 1984, 1985, and 1989 have examined the entrances, interiors, parking, and restrooms of various establishments in Augusta. Our study will update this information to include new businesses. A corollary aim of this study is to increase the ease with which consumers have access to this useful information.