Solana Beach to put CDBG funding toward ADA ramp upgrades

The Solana Beach City Council approved a resolution Oct. 26 that seeks Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ramp improvements throughout the city.

Community Development Block Grant funding has been used to build 113 ramps at 49 intersections throughout Solana Beach, according to City Manager Greg Wade.

The council vote finalized a list of ramps that would receive approximately $54,000 in CDBG funding for the 2022-23 fiscal year, and approximately $52,000 in the 2023-24 fiscal year for upgrades.

The ramps listed for fiscal year 2023-24 are located along Via Mil Cumbres, Via Chica Court, Cerra Largo Drive, Highland Drive, Santa Petra Drive and San Andres Drive, according to a city staff report. They all either lack pedestrian ramps or have existing ramps that do not meet current standards. The number of ramps that will be constructed will depend on available funding.

The ramp locations that are included for the 2022-23 fiscal year are located along San Andres Drive, Santa Luisa and Santa Victoria, according to the report, and all those intersections have “non-standard ramps” that will be removed and replaced to be ADA compliant.

Solana Beach City Councilmember David Zito said the city should target ramps at locations that were included in the city’s Safe Routes to School program.

“Maybe at least next year we can pick from that list as opposed to just picking from random areas around the city,” Zito said.

City Councilmember Jewel Edson agreed that the city should “look hard at that next year when these projects come before us.”

Solana Beach Director of Public Works Mo Sammak said the Safe Routes to School program is still working its way toward adoption by the council.

“The city manager is organizing a workshop,” Sammak said. “Soon after that, we will bring the final report to City Council for adoption. We certainly will consider those improvements as part of not only CDBG funding but any other projects we will consider in the future.”