Springfield conducting sidewalk assessment and inventory

(From the City of Springfield)

The City of Springfield is conducting a city-wide sidewalk assessment and inventory beginning Wednesday, Nov. 29.

The assessment, conducted by Tempe, Arizona-based firm, IMS Infrastructure Management Services LLC, will use a specialized sidewalk surface tester – which looks similar to an all-terrain vehicle – to collect a detailed inventory and condition rating of all sidewalks within the City’s right-of-way.

The tester will be operated by an IMS field technician and will travel at low speeds along the sidewalk. It may occasionally stop to take photographs or record additional data. The testers are clearly marked “Sidewalk Survey” and will collect data during normal business hours, Monday through Friday. The assessment is scheduled to be complete in March 2018.

The City of Springfield manages approximately 700 miles of sidewalk and 10,000 curb ramps. All must be ADA compliant per the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1991 which requires the City to retain an updated Public Rights of Way ADA Transition Plan. Data from this sidewalk assessment will be used to update Springfield’s Transition Plan with priorities, costs and timelines to address non-compliant infrastructure.

The cost of the assessment is approximately $139,000 and will be funded through the ¼-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax and the 1/8-cent Transportation Sales Tax.