The State Street Loop electric golf cart, intended to accommodate riders with disabilities, is not fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, according to the city of Santa Barbara’s Access Advisory Committee.
The AAC has maintained this stance for the entirety of the program, reiterating concerns at a Nov. 14 meeting that city staff should not call the cart ADA compliant.
“From the beginning of our committee’s involvement in discussions regarding the State Street shuttle program, we were assured that the vendor selected for the shuttle program would provide a compliant, accessible vehicle,” AAC Chair Elizabeth Sorgman wrote to city staff on June 1, three days after the Loop program began. Sorgman worked for the city’s Building Department as a senior plans examiner for 17 years and was the city’s first Certified Access Specialist (CASp) staff member.
“Unfortunately, this commitment was not upheld. A site visit and direct participation by one of our committee members — an individual with firsthand experience using mobility devices — clearly demonstrated the vendor’s lack of understanding of accessibility standards,” she wrote.
Voice magazine received copies of the emails between Sorgman, writing on behalf of the AAC, and city staff in the weeks leading up to and after the program kicked off. Sorgman sent emails to State Street Master Planner Tess Harris; City Administrator Kelly McAdoo; ADA coordinator and recently named Public Works Director Brian D’Amour; Downtown Team Manager Sarah Clark; principal architect Craig Shallanberger Clark; Downtown Plaza and Parking Manager Edward France; and City Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez.
Numerous issues with the cart were raised by AAC members during their May 16 meeting and emailed to staff on May 18, eleven days before the program’s official launch, including a primary concern that the vertical height of the cart is not tall enough for wheelchair users who need taller seating configurations or head support. Additional issues included the cart’s ramp being too steep and lacking the mandatory 4-inch tall edge protection.
Harris responded the next day, writing that Sweep Inc., who is leasing the electric golf carts to the city, was working to alter the ramp and install an additional guardrail. However, she stated that the cart’s roof height could not be changed as the city would be renting existing vehicles instead of custom-made carts, adding that the city would “keep this input for a potential future longer-term shuttle option on State Street.”
After this reply, Sorgman sent an email June 1 to city staff, writing that the AAC urged the city to “formally acknowledge that the current vehicle does not meet ADA accessibility standards; pause public operations of the modified cart until full compliance is achieved or alternative solutions are provided; ensure all future vehicle designs — pilot or permanent — are reviewed and approved by qualified ADA consultants prior to implementation; (and) engage directly with individuals with disabilities and relevant committees early in the design process, not simply after problems have arisen.”
The Loop program has continued without interruption, with the City Council voting Nov. 18 to extend the contract for six months. The extension will add another cart that the city asserts will be ADA compliant. This decision will bring the number of operating carts to four, with two being designated as ADA compliant.
Harris told VOICE that the changes to the ramp, the side of the vehicle and the tie-downs for wheelchairs were completed prior to the pilot program’s launch. On Nov. 14, she addressed the AAC, confirming these changes were made and reiterating that the city cannot change the cart’s height without purchasing the vehicle — a move the city would not commit to for a pilot program.
“We have provided all of the specifications for ADA to the business and they have implemented them to our understanding, with the exception of, I know there was a concern about the height of the cart,” Harris said. “Actually dismantling the cart to raise it is not something that could happen unless you’re purchasing a separate cart itself. We are leasing the carts at the moment.”
The AAC responded that they take issue with the city’s trend of putting the responsibility of adhering to ADA guidelines on individual businesses, highlighting that it takes a qualified expert to determine if a resource is truly ADA compliant.
“I just want to point out a lot of the documentation that the city has put out for businesses says that they need to be ADA compliant. Businesses don’t know how to do that,” Sorgman said. “And so I’m still wary of the fact that you’re banking on the person who’s providing the service to say that they’re compliant, when they probably don’t have the expertise to be able to say that’s true. And so you have no idea, really, if it’s compliant or not.”
“I would caution you about using the word ‘compliant’ with regard to that cart,” AAC member Nick Koonce said. “My concern is that the city should be wary of using the word ‘compliant’ when we don’t know that’s the case. Maybe ‘accessible shuttle’ — I think that’s valid.”
Harris voiced to the AAC that the city would pursue a request for proposals for a long-term shuttle solution as a part of the State Street Master Plan. Until that time, the city will continue leasing from Sweep.
“Your response acknowledged the concern but dismissed the need for compliance by stating that the current limitations exist because this is a ‘pilot program.’ With respect, that rationale does not excuse noncompliance,” Sorgman wrote on June 1. “ADA standards do not contain exemptions for pilot projects, and the City’s use of this justification underscores the very concerns we raised.”
The State Street Loop is among the city’s interim actions for its Master Planning process. The program has been subsidized by Friends of State Street; the city has paid a little under $100,000 toward the program so far. By moving forward with the contract extension, the city will take on $193,800 in costs for services through May 2026.
The initiative responded to hundreds of community members who have called for a vehicle to help downtown accessibility since cars and an MTD shuttle were removed from the promenade. According to city surveys, the program has served over 16,000 riders since May, including 753 riders with accessibility needs.
Yet when the AAC examined the cart prior to its launch, members were disappointed. They reached out to the city of San Diego ADA coordinator as well as accessibility consulting firm Evan Terry Associates to confirm current ADA compliance requirements, and Sweep made some modifications to the cart, with the exception of the height change. Still, additional concerns linger for AAC members.
Harris confirmed at the Nov. 14 meeting that the city’s contract with Sweep outlines that it must meet ADA requirements. She also said the city initially had a CASp staff member review the cart, adding that the city would be open to having an external, transportation-specific ADA expert review the carts.
The AAC asked whether it would be possible for Santa Barbara MTD’s electric shuttle, which is known to meet ADA guidelines, to return to State Street. The city did not request proposals for such prior to the State Street Loop’s launch as an interim program.
Harris said the city is currently looking into long-term alternatives to travel up and down State Street that meet ADA requirements but are smaller than traditional buses.
“For the initiation of the pilot, we opted to go with Sweep SB after review of a few companies that offer transportation services in smaller vehicles that could be accommodated with the current configuration of State Street,” Harris told VOICE. “Sweep Inc. is a local company, with their offices in the Funk Zone. They already had the drivers and carts, resulting in a faster turnaround for the pilot and reduced cost (i.e., the city did not have to purchase new vehicles).”
Hillary Blackerby, Santa Barbara MTD’s planning and marketing manager, told VOICE when asked, “Yes, (MTD) would be willing to make a proposal (for a State Street shuttle, however) as configured now, no. Maybe a different configuration would work.”
Councilmember Gutierrez told VOICE that he was made aware of the AAC’s concerns in June, was told that city staff were looking into addressing issues and that he would follow up with staff.
This story is republished with permission from the Santa Barbara News-Press. You can support their community journalism here.
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Mostly/sort of/almost “ADA compliant”… So we’ll add another, that way we can claim we have 2! (half the rental fleet…)
🤡
What are rats nest? These are City employees getting paid by taxpayers? spending our money what a waste.
Try that in English.
My god, just ditch the program altogether and let’s cut our losses. This is pretty absurd. I wonder if the new multimillion dollar ADA accessible park they tore up Dwight Murphy for will pass the reg’s. Everything and every place in life isn’t going to be “accessible” to everyone.
BASIC – why do you constantly complain about that ADA park? What do you have against our tax dollars being spent so that everyone can enjoy something, even if they were born differently or had some catastrophic event in life that rendered them disabled?
Where does Santa source that much coal for your stockings every year?
Apparently there is NO group that escapes Basic’s bigotry.
Nope. He went so far as to complain about the colors of the ADA inclusive park. Imagine the lack of hope, joy, general quality of life, to come here every day and complain about every group of marginalized people anytime they do anything that has nothing to do with his life. Sad.
We used to have a fine ADA compliant electric trolley service running up and down State…Let’s bring that back (MTD can do it!!!). That would allow better access from the beach to upper state, while serving our population and tourists and still keeping State street pedestrian friendly…Oh…and bring back parades and get rid of those lame pedlets…
these shuttles are a temporary program. they are also ridiculous. reopen the road and put our electric trolley back on State. These shuttles drive a bit reckless on a “promenade” that is supposed to be closed to vehicles. They are instructed to drive in the bike lanes, that violates state and local codes/laws. I’ve seen of them bump bicyclists, pedestrians and speed when they have no passengers. They weave in and out of bike lane (bicycle or other) dodging bikes, skate boards, pedestrians, dogs and kids. Just another dumb idea this city council has pushed on downtown.
These things go in the bike lane?! No way. Yeah, they shouldn’t be. Make a couple blocks bike/pedestrian ONLY.