WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced a settlement agreement with the City of Waukegan, Illinois to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities. The agreement is part of "Project Civic Access," a wide-ranging effort to ensure that cities, towns, and villages comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To date, the Department has entered into 143 formal agreements with villages, towns, cities, and counties across the country.
“Making basic civic services accessible is essential to democratic government,” said Wan J. Kim, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “I applaud the Waukegan city officials for working cooperatively with us to ensure that persons with disabilities will have the opportunity to participate in the full range of city services, from the new city hall to the city’s libraries and shelters.”
Under the agreement, the City of Waukegan has agreed to:
Make physical modifications to its facilities so that parking, routes into the buildings, entrances, the city’s sidewalks, public telephones, restrooms, service counters, and drinking fountains are accessible to people with disabilities;
Post, publish, and distribute a notice to inform members of the public of the provisions of the ADA and their applicability to the City of Waukegan’s programs, services, and activities;
Install additional text telephones (TTY's), officially recognize the State of Illinois telephone relay service, publicize the TTY numbers on the same basis as their voice numbers, and train staff in using a TTY and the telephone relay service;
Develop a method for providing information for interested persons with disabilities concerning the existence and location of the City of Waukegan’s accessible services, activities, and programs;
Install signs at any inaccessible entrance to a facility directing users to an accessible entrance or to information about other accessible facilities;
The settlement agreement will remain in effect for four years or until the parties agree that full compliance has been achieved.
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