To help communities improve accessibility, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) has launched a new training program. The program covers the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and communities’ obligations under the ADA with a focus on the public right-of-way. These half-day, interactive workshops cover ADA and Title II requirements, completing a self-evaluation, the role of an ADA coordinator, and developing a transition plan.
When and where
The next round of trainings will launch in fall 2023. These trainings will be located throughout the region.
Sign up for the Accessible Communities newsletter to receive a notification when registration for future workshops opens.
Who should attend?
CMAP’s ADA training program is designed for municipal staff, public works staff, ADA coordinators, elected and appointed officials, community leaders, and anyone interested in learning about how to make their communities more accessible. Participants are welcome to attend one or all the training workshops.
Cost
These workshops are free, but you must register in advance. Sign up to receive a notification when registration for future workshops opens.
Continuing education
For professional engineers, this training program may be eligible for Illinois Professional Engineer professional development hours and may meet the requirements of Section 1380.325 of the Illinois Administrative Rules.
For planners, this training program may be eligible AICP self-reporting CM credits.
Accessibility
CMAP strives to make these training workshops inclusive and accessible. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in these events, please contact Eve Means at least 10 days before the workshop at emeans@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8838.
Previous workshops
The ADA training program began with a training pilot at CMAP's office on November 15, 2022. There also were four in-person workshops covering a variety of topics on January 18, March 1, April 18, and April 19, 2023:
ADA training pilot
The pilot provided an overview of CMAP’s ADA training program, including compressed versions of the training sessions and available resources.
- When: Tuesday, November 15, 2022
- Where: CMAP Office, 433 W. Van Buren Street, Chicago
ADA and Title II
In this module, participants learned about the ADA, Title II of the ADA, and the roles and responsibilities of municipalities and local government under the act.
- When: Wednesday, January 18, 2023
- Where: Frankfort, Illinois
ADA coordinator training
This module provided ADA coordinators, as well as other municipal staff, with information about the role and responsibilities of an ADA coordinator.
- When: Wednesday, March 1, 2023
- Where: Calumet Park, Illinois
ADA self-evaluation and design standards
This module provided comprehensive and hands-on training about ADA self-evaluations, standards, and the proposed Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG).
- When: Tuesday, April 18, 2023
- Where: Naperville, Illinois
ADA transition plans
This module provided comprehensive and hands-on training to develop and implement an ADA transition plan.
- When: Wednesday, April 19, 2023
- Where: Aurora, Illinois