Grants of up to $60,000 are available to organizations statewide through the Idaho Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Curb Ramp Program. Local jurisdictions — cities, counties, highway districts and tribal governments — are eligible to submit an application for this competitive grant award.
Funds will be used for construction starting by 2020 and must be completed within a year. The application period is
Jan. 14 - Feb. 28
.
The Idaho (ADA) Curb Ramp Program is a state-administered program providing funding for projects to build or correct curb ramps on the state highway system, which is ITD's responsibility.
ITD allocates $500,000 in state funds annually for this program. Applicants can qualify for up to $60,000 in state funding to construct new or improve existing curb ramps.
"The goal of the program is to partner with local agencies to provide accessible facilities for all travelers, especially Idaho’s disabled American citizens," said Ryan McDaniel, ADA Curb Ramp Grant Project Manager.
Russ Rivera, Manager of the ITD Office of Civil Rights said “The ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, and much like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects against discrimination based on Race, Color, or National Origin, the ADA protects against discrimination based on a person’s disability. It also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. From a building standpoint, the ADA allows for accessibility guidelines in places of public accommodation. Builders must ensure that publicly accessible places comply with current ADA regulations. According to the CDC, roughly 18.5% of adults in Idaho have some type of disability, but considering Idaho’s current growth rate; those numbers are likely to rise.”
Applications are evaluated by ITD, the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council and the Idaho division of the Federal Highway Administration.
Applications are available on the ITD website under the ADA Curb/Ramp Program tab at the "Applications" link below. Completed applications should be sent to
ITDAltContracting@itd.idaho.gov
