State Transporation Department Welcomes Comment on Accessibility Plans

Salem's rest stop off Interstate-93's Exit 1 northbound ramp needs some upgrades to make it fully handicap-accessible, per the federal governments guidelines, and Sandt Michener, who's spearheading the plan for the state Department of Transportation, said today people can review the list online and comment until Sept. 12.

Among the list of improvements, the plan calls for widening the accessible parking spots to 96 inches minimum. (They're between 88 to 90 inches wide now.) Also, the 2015 survey indicated the curb ramp to the parking lot needs to be re-graded, so the step from the lot to the curb is not so high.

Other proposed changes call for adding pull handles inside the toilet stalls and lowering the door handles and coat hooks, which currently are too high.

The summary also found some counters need to be lowered and a drinking fountain and a brochure rack should be relocated, so they don't obstruct people's path.