Beacon Hill Civic Association sues to stop installation of sidewalk ramps

Arlington said:
Don't tell BHCA/Beacon Hill that they've been outclassed by Medford (maybe it'll go down easier if you say "Tufts College Natatorium")
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The ones in Medford are brick red in color as well (smirk) -- although embedded in concrete sidewalks.
 
Isn't part of the problem here also that they put a curved ramp there?

The tactile strips at curved ramps, whether done the Medford style or in the more typical small trip ion the low center part of the ramp, signals to a blind person that there are two potential ways to proceed: straight onwards, or 90 turn across the street. But this location is at the alley Google maps calls Strong Place, yes?

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3610468,-71.0682807,30m/data=!3m1!1e3

That's a bad place for a seeing person to cross Cambridge, damn near suicidal for a blind person to cross. Whatever tactile strip goes in there should be signaling "there's an intersection here to cross, but you should only cross it going straight, not turning 90 degrees." That suggests to me the ramp ought to only have descended down to the alley, not also down to Cambridge.

I get that the curved curb cut for an alley opening is typical, but for ADA purposes, should the ramp have extended around the curve? I think it should not have done so.
 
I design these types of ramps for a living. And I'm held to AAB and MassDOT standards in doing so. Curved ramps are pretty standard. And the rectangular cast-in-place tactile warning panels (aka detectable warning panels) have been reviewed and approved for use by MassDOT. Typically, we specify these for use in either "Safety Yellow" or "Brick Red". Ideally, you want the maximum color contrast between the panels and the surrounding ramp/walkway. Because of the tight grading standards (7.5% +/- 0.5%), typically we construct these out of concrete because it's way easier to meet those tolerances that doing so using asphalt.

Sure, you've probably seen custom applications where contractors have used granite versions that are custom fit to the exact radius of the curbline, but those are incredibly pricey installations. The use of the rectangular panels helps to standardize design and makes it significantly easier to replace if they ever get damaged.
 
They don't want authentic history or authentic modernity. They just want a publicly-maintained Disneyesque nostalgic feel.

Personal cars (mostly of 2000s vintage or newer) are piled in the streets of Beacon Hill. In the interests of historical feel, I say have them all towed away (by Clydesdales driven by Teamsters), never to be parked there again! Personal cars are more ahistorical by the pound or cubic foot than all curb cuts put together. WALKING is historical. Everything should look like Acorn St. There. I fixed it.
 
Arlington said:
They don't want authentic history or authentic modernity. They just want a publicly-maintained Disneyesque nostalgic feel.

Personal cars (mostly of 2000s vintage or newer) are piled in the streets of Beacon Hill. In the interests of historical feel, I say have them all towed away (by Clydesdales driven by Teamsters), never to be parked there again! Personal cars are more ahistorical by the pound or cubic foot than all curb cuts put together. WALKING is historical. Everything should look like Acorn St. There. I fixed it.
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I personally think we should build a super tall on Beacon Hill. It is the perfect location, and meets most of the NIMBY objections. Great height potential on the FAA airspace map (800 to 950 ft.!). And the location is due north of the Common and Public Garden, so you never get a dreaded shadow. Do the first four floors in red brick, so it "blends in".
 
The City "won" in the suit against them, but I heard they aren't going to just start tearing up sidewalks and installing ramps. They will still be respectful of the residents' opinions and concerns as they start to plan out where they will begin.
 
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