Written by: Sid Harris – Accessibility Advocate – 05/30/2026
Under federal ADA standards, when a public sidewalk or pedestrian route is newly built or altered, curb ramps are generally required anywhere pedestrians must transition between walkway levels or street crossings. Municipalities are responsible for maintaining accessible public rights-of-way. Massachusetts also enforces accessibility requirements through the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board.
The frustration I and others are expressing is common in accessibility advocacy: enforcement is often complaint-driven, meaning cities sometimes act only after repeated resident reports rather than proactively auditing barriers, the newly constructed sidewalks on Hampstead Street is an example of a complaint.
A few things to note:
- The entrance area was built in 2018, which matters because newer construction and alterations trigger stronger ADA compliance requirements than older “grandfathered” infrastructure.
- I’ve repeatedly notified the city, creating a lengthly documented history of notice.
- The issue appears to affect safe pedestrian travel and accessible route continuity — a core ADA concept.Much time has passed with no action by the city to install a required curb ramp which provides access to the city hall’s main accessible entrance. I’ve iniated a complaint to the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board to force Methuen to comply.