KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Something as simple as the height of a handrail can be taken for granted, unless a person has a disability. Now, Kansas City, MO, is making changes to fulfill the Americans with Disabilities Act through a new agreement.
Many people take for granted crossing the street, mailing a letter or hopping on an elevator inside Kansas City's City Hall. But many living with disabilities know firsthand where the city is falling short on compliance.
"Part of the problem is our buildings are old and these requirements did not exist when city hall was built," Meg Conger said.
City Hall and many other buildings are about to get an ADA makeover and Conger is in charge of making sure the changes happen.
In one example, Conger makes sure that drinking fountains are the perfect height and their twisting handle must become a push button.
"(The drinking fountains must be) low enough for people in a wheelchair, but not so low people who have trouble bending or stooping will have to stoop too low to get water," Conger said. "Things go as simple as a coat hook to as complex as changing the slope of ramps that are going up to a building."
Other changes will be more challenging and costly, including widening doors in old granite buildings.
At the health department, they will need to lower counters, add van parking and decrease the amount of pressure needed to open a door to five pounds of pressure.
"Sometimes it's 10 pounds, sometimes it's 15, I've seen it as high as 18," Conger said. "We need to do it for our citizens. Accessibility is very important to our city. You can call it an unfunded federal mandate or you can call it bringing things up-to-date in Kansas City."
It's unclear how much it will cost the city to make all the upgrades. Some repairs, like lowering the railing of a ramp, can be done by city staff already on the payroll. Other efforts, including widening doors in old granite buildings, could be much more costly.
The city must also audit and survey each building the justice department did not. Officials must then share those findings with the federal government. The final cost will depend on how much is found to be non-compliant.
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