The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) is committed to a policy of full accessibility and does not discriminate in the provision of any of its business activities. We are committed to upholding the intent and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operations of SHA’s programs, services or activities, to the fullest extent possible.
It is SHA’s responsibility and desire that no person be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity supported by SHA based on their disability. To the end, each and every employee is responsible for working cooperatively to achieve this. SHA is fully committed to the goal of achieving equal opportunity and nondiscrimination for all persons in their interactions with SHA.
The State Highway Administration has become increasingly proactive in translating these commitments to agency wide policy and field-level application. ADA compliance is incorporated into SHA’s business plan, ADA-related training is a core requirement for all employees and SHA is conducting a field audit of sidewalks within its 5,200-mile roadway network to ensure compliance. Deficiencies are addressed through a transition plan, a long-term planning and scheduling document that incorporates both retrofit and new construction compliance. We attempt to use best practice of other states and federal agencies’ recommendations when appropriate, and likewise some of Maryland’s initiatives are being used elsewhere. SHA is undertaking many other initiatives at the strategic, policy and implementation levels that ensure we are not only compliant but go beyond the requirements toward achieving full accessibility for all those who live in, work in and travel through Maryland.