The ramp on the north side of the boardwalk at Lafayette Boulevard was rebuilt in compliance with standards set by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will be the only one of its kind when the 2.2-mile walkway is fully reconstructed, according to the City of Long Beach.
The rebuilt wooden ramp includes parallel sections that extend outward, running east and west, into the parking lot area at Lafayette south of West Broadway, instead of running strictly straight, north and south, like the standard ramps at other boulevards. The parking area at Lafayette allows for head-in parking spaces along the sidewalk's curbs, whereas other street-end areas feature only central median parking.
“The ramp at Lafayette was designed to meet ADA requirements, and not obstruct the parking area for the adjacent building,” Gordon Tepper, a city spokesman, said when Patch inquired about the ramp last week. “No other street end has that challenge, so no other ramp has been designed in that manner.”
Grace Industries, the engineering firm hired by the city to rebuild the Hurricane Sandy-damage boardwalk in Long Beach, is expected to complete the $44 million project in November.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
