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News - page 2

Update of Federal Acquisition Regulation Proposed

March 31, 2020
FAR logo - Federal Acquisition Regulation he Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council has proposed an update to its regulations governing federal procurements to . . .

Access Board Cancels Town Hall Meeting and Trainings in Philadelphia

March 17, 2020
The Access Board has cancelled its town hall meeting and trainings in Philadelphia on May 6 to protect public health and help prevent further spread of . . .

Access Board Seeks Technical Writer

March 04, 2020
The Access Board seeks a Technical Writer (GS 12) to serve in its Office of Technical and Information Services. Current or former federal employees who qualify as . . .

Access Board Initiates Update of Accessibility Guidelines for Rail Cars

February 14, 2020
Rail Car The Access Board is initiating rulemaking to update its accessibility guidelines for rail cars covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and seeks public comment on this effort. As indicated in an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking it published today, the Board plans to update provisions in the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles that apply to vehicles used in fixed guideway systems, including rapid, light, commuter, and intercity rail. The Board requests information from the public for its use in developing a proposed rule.

Study Initiated on Equipping Passenger Aircraft with Wheelchair Restraint Systems

January 13, 2020
The Access Board is undertaking a study that has the potential to advance access to air travel for passengers who use wheelchairs. As directed by Congress, this project . . .

Access Restored to Popular Boardwalk in New York City under ABA

December 19, 2019
Rockaway Boardwalk When Super Storm Sandy hit New York City in 2012, it destroyed most of the iconic Rockaway Boardwalk in Queens. The following year, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation began work to restore the 5½ mile boardwalk using disaster relief assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program. Shortly after the boardwalk reopened in May 2017, a complaint was filed with the Access Board . . .

Access Board Resolves 48 Architectural Barriers Act Cases Through Corrective Action in FY 2019

October 16, 2019
The Access Board was created in part to enforce the first federal law to address accessibility, the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968. This law requires access . . .

Access Board to Assess Feasibility of Wheelchair Restraint Systems on Aircraft

October 15, 2019
Airplane image The inability to use one’s wheelchair on airplanes makes air travel very difficult, if not impossible, for many people with disabilities. It requires multiple transfers between boarding chairs and aircraft seats, posing injury risks. Airline seats are a poor alternative to personal wheelchairs which are typically customized for the user’s safety . . .

ABA Complaint and Grassroots Campaign Result in Access to Popular Texas Dam

August 29, 2019
In 2017, the Access Board received a complaint about the accessibility of the Canyon Dam’s service road. Created by construction of the Canyon Dam on the Guadalupe River, Canyon lake and surrounding parkland is a favorite site for swimming, boating, fishing, as well as camping and hiking. A prized feature is a service road atop the dam that is also enjoyed by many in the area as a scenic walkway. The Board opened an investigation with . . .

Access Board Releases Voluntary Guidelines for Onboard Wheelchairs for Public Comment

August 20, 2019
Onboard Chair The Access Board Board has released for public comment advisory guidelines for wheelchairs used on commercial passenger aircraft during flight. These onboard wheelchairs are provided by air carriers as a means of facilitating the transfer of passengers with disabilities to aircraft lavatories since personal wheelchairs cannot be used in the cabin. The Department of Transportation (DOT) has expressed its intention to supplement its . . .