On December 18, 2024 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a groundbreaking final rule adopting the Access Board’s Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG) as part of its Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards for transit stops in public spaces. This critical update aligns with the ADA by setting enforceable standards for accessible design in new construction and alterations of transit stops in the public right-of-way, ensuring they are fully inclusive and usable by disabled people.
The rule, which takes effect on January 17, 2025, marks a significant victory for disability rights advocates. It mandates compliance with technical accessibility specifications for transit stops-defined as areas designated for passengers to get on or off buses, rail cars, and other transportation vehicles that operate on a fixed or scheduled route including bus stops and boarding platforms. These changes will go far in eliminating barriers and advancing equitable access to public transportation.
The new rule does not have specific accessibility requirements or guidance for floating bus stops or protected bike lanes, or for the needs of disabled passengers such as Deaf or Deaf-Blind individuals, although DOT encouraged ongoing dialogue with disability groups who are needed to achieve complete, safe, and fully accessible streets.
DREDF applauds this move as a transformative step toward creating public spaces that truly serve everyone. We remain committed to advocating for implementation and enforcement of these standards to ensure their full impact is realized. We encourage all public entities and industry stakeholders to work with people with disabilities to enact the new requirements and continue to improve accessibility of all public rights of way. Accessible infrastructure is essential to upholding the ADA’s promise of equality, independence, and inclusion for disabled people.