Project Details

Saint Paul Public Works is working on an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Transition Plan to enhance accessibility for everyone who lives, work, plays, and does business within the City of Saint Paul. This plan will outline how the city will prioritize investments in infrastructure and accessibility upgrades to improve access for all. 

It will be part of the city's suite of ADA plans. Every department across the city will be taking a look at where and how they serve the public and will be offering their own department specific ADA transition plans in order to improve accessibility across the board, not just in our facilities, but also in our services, our programs, our policies, and the information we give to the public. This is one more way that the City of Saint Paul is committed to going ALL IN to create a city that works for everyone.

Project Timeline

  • June 2024: Community Engagement
  • March September 2025: Plan Development

Project Goals

  • Identify physical obstacles in the public entity’s facilities that limit the accessibility of its programs or activities to individuals with disabilities.
  • Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the facilities accessible.
  • Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve compliance with this section and, if the time period of the transition plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during each year of the transition period.
  • Indicate the official responsible for the implementation of the Plan.

Engagement Summary Phase 1

How this feedback will be used:

The project team is incorporating community input received in Phase 1 outreach to inform the priorities outlined in the ADA Transition Plan. Current policies will be reviewed and the ADA Transition Plan will suggest improvements to meet ADA needs.

We will be having more community engagement opportunities in 2025 to inform the community of our findings.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) TRANSITION PLAN 

Phase I Engagement Summary

Our engagement efforts

Phase I of Engagement for the Public Works ADA Transition Plan occurred between June and October of 2024. During this phase, two strategies were used to introduce the project to the community: gather input on current issues and needs, and understand how accessibility and the infrastructure system is working for the community. This document summarizes the engagement and feedback received throughout Phase I.

Image of residents at a outdoor community tabling event

Events and participants

  • 5 community events and pop ups
    • Safe Summer Nights, West Minnehaha Recreation Center
    • Rice and Larpenteur Summer Block Party
    • West Side Farmers Market
    • Marydale Festival
    • Open House at the Rondo Community Library
  • 290 online survey responses
  • 7 presentations to District Councils and City Committees
    • Mayors Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities (MACPD)
    • City of Saint Paul Transportation Committee
    • North End Neighborhood Organization
    • CapitolRiver Council
    • Highland District Council Transportation Committee
    • The ARC
    • City of Saint Paul Advisory Council on Aging (ACOA)
  • 26 public open house participants
  • 43 community focus group participants
    • MSS MN Focus Group

Results of engagement

To understand where accessibility investments ranked for community members, participants at in-person engagement events were asked to prioritize accessibility investments. Using marbles, each participant was asked to “spend” marbles in areas they would prioritize for ADA improvements. Priority area options included prioritizing investments:

  • Within a quarter mile of parks
  • Commercial areas & activity centers
  • Within a quarter mile of schools
  • Highly populated residential neighborhoods
  • Areas that are out of compliance or dangerous
The top priorities for investment identified by the public are areas that are out of compliance or dangerous and highly populated residential neighborhoods.
What we heard from the public
  1. Winter maintenance like snow clearing is critical for sidewalk accessibility.
  2. Navigating construction that impacts the street or sidewalks is very difficult due to obstructions.
  3. Most residents shared experiences with cars not stopping or yielding for people in crosswalks.
  4. Parked scooters and shared bikes are a significant issue when navigating the sidewalk.
  5. Widespread support for system-wide improvements for people with disabilities.
  6. Uneven or broken sidewalks prevent residents using mobility devices from being able to move freely.
  7. Consider the needs of multiple types of disabilities when evaluating accessibility.
  8. The ADA Transition Plan should consider best practices, not just legal compliance. 
Online survey results

An online survey was shared to collect feedback from residents in the community. Surveys were distributed via direct outreach at in-person engagement events and shared online through GovDelivery email outreach, and shared on agency and partners social media channels. The survey focused on understanding people’s experiences navigating the city, perceptions about the quality of the public realm and amenities offered, and aspirations for future accessibility improvements.

Infographic of online survey results from the ADA Plan feedback survey
How this feedback will be used

The project team is incorporating community input received in Phase I outreach to inform the priorities outlined in the ADA Transition Plan.

Sidewalk Concerns and Questions

Concerned about the condition of the sidewalk in your neighborhood, looking to have an area of sidewalk repaired or have questions about sidewalks in Saint Paul?

To report a concern or find more information about sidewalks in Saint Paul, visit the  Public Works Sidewalks webpage.

Project Documents

Ramsey County ADA Transition Plan

Ramsey County Public Works is also working on their ADA Transition Plan for pedestrian facilities within the County’s public right-of-way that are managed by Ramsey County Public Works Department, as well as the County's Public Works’ communications, services, activities, policies, and procedures. 

Ramsey County owns many arterial (main) roads within the City of Saint Paul. Some of these Ramsey County owned roads are Cleveland Avenue, Lexington Parkway, Dale Street, Rice Street, White Bear Avenue, Maryland Avenue, University Avenue, and Randolph Avenue.

Learn more about the Ramsey County ADA project and how to get involved: ramseycounty.us/pw-ada.

Last Edited: March 4, 2025