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 In early 2003, the disability-rights group Independence First filed a complaint
with the United States Department of Justice alleging that some sections of
Milwaukee’s RiverWalk were inaccessible to wheelchair users. In a government
review conducted in the summer of 2003, 28 separate violations of the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) were identified.
On July 11, 2006, the City, Milwaukee County, and Milwaukee Business Improvement
District (BID) No. 15 entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of
Justice which resolved access concerns along the Milwaukee RiverWalk.
Under the agreement, the City, County, and the BID agreed to:
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Construct and install ramps, walkways, or lifts in
several locations to ensure the RiverWalk is readily accessible to and
usable by people with mobility disabilities |
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Modify, replace, or install handrails in appropriate
locations |
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Modify built-up curb ramps by grinding down the
surface in two locations |
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Construct an accessible walkway from a parking lot
to an existing ramp |
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Remove existing ramps and install new gangways to
floating docks in three locations |
 The City, County and the BID are working with PACE Architects and
Pierce Engineers to ensure the accessibility issues are addressed in the most
effective manner possible.
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