We started a project, which involves a substantial amount of sidewalk. Included in this sidewalk is the removal of several drives; including commercial drives. Why? because the cross slope is a tad off from 2% and is unacceptable for ADA compliance.
What is a 2% cross slope? That's about a 1/4 inch per foot. With a typical sidewalk, that's about a difference of 2 inches in elevation. That's the arbitrary number set by the Feds, and it's beyond negotiation.
Is this reasonable? Probably not, but the bureaucrats had something to sink their teeth into, and they're like pit bulls with a pound of bacon. The differences of many drives are negligible, but that 1/8 inch difference determines whether government highway funds are granted, or withheld.
The costs? I have no idea, but with the millions I've seen wasted, I can only assume the nationwide costs are in the billions; if not hundreds of billions.
Why is this money so necessary? For wheelchairs. I might be wrong, but for the waste I've seen, they could have bought anyone in a wheelchair a special van, hired a chauffeur, and paid for them for life.
And they wonder why everyone is so pissed.
I hate uneven pavement when I ride my Segway to work.
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