The federal Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded the City of Santa Barbara’s historic downtown train depot fails to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), putting City Hall on notice that it will need to rectify the situation. The DOJ launched its investigation of the train depot two years ago as part of an examination of such facilities nationwide. Its findings, released two months ago, were general in nature, alluding to steep sloping grades at the depot and cracks in the concrete. City Hall transportation planners were put on notice they need to hire a qualified architect to conduct a survey of the property itself to determine the depot’s deficiencies in greater detail. After that, it will be incumbent on the city to make necessary alterations and repairs to comply with the latest iteration of the ADA.
