A hands-on Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessibility training event was held October 6, in Augusta, hosted by the Maine Department of Transportation, in partnership with Women in Transportation (WTS), the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL), Iris Network, and Alpha One (Maine's Center for Independent Living).

The event brought together transportation planners, engineers, and other professionals from MaineDOT and WTS for experiential learning activities designed to deepen participants understanding of how people with disabilities and people using mobility devices experience streets, sidewalks, crossings, and other elements of the transportation system.

Participants worked in small groups at two locations: Downtown Augusta and the area surrounding the State House along Capitol and State streets. At each location, groups rotated through outdoor sessions led by accessibility experts and people with firsthand knowledge of the barriers that can arise in the built environment.

"Safe, accessible transportation depends on understanding the experience of every person who uses it," said Dakota Hewlett, Active Transportation Planner with MaineDOT, in a MaineDOT news release. "This partnership gave those who participated an opportunity to see our transportation network from different perspectives and to carry those lessons into planning, design, construction, and maintenance decisions across Maine."

One set of sessions focused on the experiences of people with low vision or blindness. Mobility Specialists from the Maine Department of Labors Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired as well as an Orientation and Mobility Specialist from the Iris Network guided participants through pedestrian environments using white canes and goggles that simulated different types of vision impairments. The activities highlighted challenges that people may encounter when navigating sidewalks, curb ramps, crossings, signals, surface conditions, and other pedestrian features.

"As transportation professionals, its our responsibility to understand that accessibility is about much more than meeting design standards its about creating a transportation system that people of all abilities can safely and independently navigate," said Emily Becker, Vice President, WTS Maine. "This hands-on experience gave participants an opportunity to better understand the real world barriers that people with disabilities encounter every day. WTS Maine is proud to partner with MaineDOT to create opportunities like this that build empathy, strengthen our profession, and inspire us to think differently about how we plan, design, and deliver transportation projects across Maine."

Other sessions were hosted by representatives from Alpha One and the Maine Department of Labors Bureau of Rehabilitation Services. Participants used wheelchairs, knee scooters, rollator walkers, crutches, and umbrella strollers to experience how physical features of the transportation system can affect mobility, safety, and independence.

The use of a range of devices also underscored that accessible transportation benefits a broad range of users, including people with disabilities, older adults, people recovering from injuries, caregivers, and families traveling with young children.

"This training reflected the value of bringing transportation professionals together with disability advocates, mobility specialists, and people with lived experience," said Theresa Savoy, MaineDOT ADA Transportation Coordinator. "By learning directly from accessibility experts and experiencing real-world conditions, participants can better recognize barriers and help create transportation systems that work for everyone."

"The event reinforced MaineDOTs commitment to integrating accessibility throughout its work and to building strong partnerships with organizations that serve and represent people with disabilities," said MaineDOT. "Lessons from the training will help inform ongoing efforts to improve pedestrian infrastructure and ensure that Maines transportation system is safe, connected, and accessible for all users."