Solana Beach to put grant funding toward ADA-compliant ramps

The city of Solana Beach will use approximately $52,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for access ramps that are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act standards, following a City Council vote on Oct. 25.

“Each year, what we do is we identify locations in the city that require updated or new ADA access ramps, and that’s what we’re proposing to fund again through this cycle,” Solana Beach City Manager Greg Wade said.

Solana Beach Deputy Mayor David Zito mentioned the possibility of prioritizing locations along the city’s Safe Routes to School list. Safe Routes to School is a program designed to ensure safer conditions for students along their daily commutes, particularly those who walk and bike.

Wade said the priority is to create ADA-compliant ramps in locations that currently don’t have them.

“All of the routes, we’re happy to say, have access ramps,” Wade said. “Not all of them meet current standards, but our priority is to identify locations where there are none. Once we handle all those, our expectation is to go in and retrofit the existing ramps to current standards.”

The locations of the ramps that will receive funding are on Pacific Avenue at the intersections of Ocean Street, Solana Vista Drive, West Cliff Street and Hill Street, as well as the intersection of North Acacia Avenue and Estrella Street.

The funding comes from San Diego County’s Department of Housing and Community Development