Draft 2025 ADA Transition Plan
The City of Freeport strives to provide the public with safe, accessible transportation facilities to encourage residents and visitors to travel within the community through multiple modes of transportation. An important task necessary for providing and maintaining accessible facilities that are compliant with regulatory guidelines is the creation and implementation of an ADA Transition Plan for Public Rights of Way (referred to in this report as “ADA Transition Plan” or “Transition Plan”).
The City of Freeport has created this ADA Transition Plan for its current facilities, services, policies, practices, programs, and activities located within the public right-of-way, including public sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian signals, crosswalks, accessible public parking, and alternate pedestrian access routes. This plan evaluates the current state of these facilities to create a grievance policy and to aid in modifying or replacing non-compliant programs, services, and activities regarding the public right-of-way throughout the City. This ADA Transition Plan has also been created to meet the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The plan included in this document will be administered by the City’s ADA Coordinator (otherwise known as the ADA Compliance Officer) and the City’s ADA Compliance Commission.
This document has been created to specifically cover accessibility within the public rights-of-way, including public sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian signals, crosswalks, accessible public parking, and alternate pedestrian access routes. It does not include detailed accessibility information on the City’s programs, services, activities, practices, or facilities unrelated to public rights-of-way.
Although this plan does not explicitly address building accessibility, the City of Freeport has adopted the International Building Code (IBC) into its City Codified Ordinances (Chapter 1420). Chapter 1420 covers new and renovated buildings’ construction and material specifications, including ADA accessibility requirements. These requirements are under the Community Development Department and are enforced by the Freeport Building Inspector.
This plan does not explicitly address public transportation options. The City of Freeport is currently served by Pretzel City Area Transit (PCAT), which implements and maintains a safe, efficient,
effective, and fully accessible transportation system for all residents of Freeport and Stephenson County, including people with disabilities and other residents needing reliable public transportation. See Appendix A for the PCAT ADA Transportation Policy.
The National Cooperative Highway Research Program has outlined the following eight steps for public agencies to achieve compliance with the ADA:
1. Designate an ADA Coordinator.
2. Provide Public Notice of the ADA Transition Plan.
3. Adopt a Grievance Policy.
4. Develop internal design standards, specifications, and details.
5. Develop this ADA Transition Plan and complete the self-evaluation.
6. Approve the schedule and budget for the Transition Plan and recommend improvements.
7. Prioritize improvement projects.
8. Actively monitor and update the plan/progress.
The information in this ADA Transition Plan documents how these eight items have been/will be
accomplished.