What makes for a "livable community?" GO TO 2040, the comprehensive regional plan for northeastern Illinois, envisions a region with a dynamic economy, abundant open spaces, a strong transportation network, and attractive housing options. Yet that vision is only livable if it is inclusive and accessible. Therefore, CMAP helps municipalities in the seven-county region plan for accessibility in land use, housing, and transportation.  In celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act's (ADA) 25^th Anniversary, CMAP is partnering with ADA25 Chicago to highlight planning policies, projects and programs that are improving accessibility in the Chicago region. This is the second in a series of posts on aspects of accessibility. The first post described advances and challenges in accessibility.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990, is a cornerstone of the civil rights protections for Americans with disabilities. But the first federal law to address accessibility was the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), passed in 1968. This law required that facilities built, altered, designed, or leased with federal money be accessible, yet it left unclear the standards for accessibility. Debates across the country on how to interpret the law led to uneven compliance. Therefore, in 1973 the U.S. Access Board, originally founded as the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, was created to ensure federal agency compliance with the ABA. 

In time, the Board's scope broadened and its authority grew, especially as the federal government started to pursue accessibility outside the built environment, such as in communications. In 1982 the Board published the first comprehensive set of federal accessibility guidelines, replacing its previous practice of deferring to the private sector to set voluntary standards.

The passing of the ADA greatly augmented the significance of the Board's accessibility standards. For the first time, the standards that the Board set would apply not just to federal buildings and services but also to private buildings and services. The Board's standards were quickly adopted by the U.S. Department of Justice as the benchmark by which it would assess and enforce accessibility across the country in both the public and private sector.

Today, the U.S. Access Board develops and promotes accessibility guidelines and standards for the built environment, transportation, communication, medical diagnostic equipment, and information technology.