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In Memphis, Tennessee, beside the Mississippi River sits a bluff that has always been difficult for people with limited mobility to navigate. The bluff has a set of stairs that leads down to Riverside Drive and Tom Lee Park. This park is a great place to see beautiful sunrises and sunsets across the river. The park most recently received an excellent upgrade with many new features.  

According to the Memphis Flyer, The Carlisle Corporation is bringing ADA access from the bluff in downtown Memphis to the riverfront at Tom Lee Park. The Carlisle Corporation has made a $1.5 million investment into the first Americans-with-Disabilities – accessible walkway from a bluff to a riverfront. 

The new path will be named Carlisle Cutbank Bluff to memorialize the late Gene Carlisle. The Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) says this is the first time in Memphis history that commercial development has been connected to the riverfront. Tyree Daniels, board chair at MRPP, says, “The Carlisle Cutbank Bluff represents the partnership’s commitment to easy, equitable access to the new park.” He continues by saying, “This beautiful new feature makes it so much easier and more fun to move between Downtown and the riverfront. It means that visitors will find it much easier to get from upstairs on Main Street down to the river in a more equitable way, and we couldn’t be more excited about this achievement, but also making this available for our community.” 

Chance Carlisle, CEO of Carlisle LLC, said, “Two things really hit home for us, the ability to provide the first of its kind ADA accessibility to the park, and for the last 40 or 50 years, with the exception of maybe a month or so in May (during the Beale Street Music Festival) Tom Lee Park was sort of an afterthought, rather than a signature riverfront. It’s hard to be a great riverfront city without an excellent front door, and what Memphis River Parks has done, along with all of the donors is really give Memphians a park that we can be proud of, for all of Memphis.” 

At Next Day Access, we are always thrilled when we see communities come together to help people with limited mobility interact with their communities better. Our mission at Next Day Access is very similar. Our goal is to provide anyone with limited mobility with the products they need to live a safer and more independent lifestyle. We offer several products to assist, including wheelchair ramps, vehicle lifts, wheelchairs, scooters, grab bars, in-home elevators, and more. If we can help improve your quality of life, we urge you to contact your nearest Next Day Access. We are happy to answer any questions and even schedule an in-home consultation.  

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on julio 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. The ADA is civil rights legislation prohibiting discrimination and guaranteeing people with disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else. The guidelines help ensure that anyone with a disability can enjoy the same employment opportunities, shop hassle-free, and freely participate in any state or local government programs and services. Essentially, the ADA is an equal opportunity law put in place for people with disabilities. 

If you are opening a new business that caters to the public and has over 15 employees, you will need to follow ADA guidelines when designing your floor plan. It is against the law to ignore these guidelines. The ADA website has a list of the exact measurements and the standards, when installing accessible equipment. To help you get your business ADA compliant, we have compiled a helpful checklist to get you started.  

ADA Checklist (Not to be Confused with Your ADA Compliant Booklet) 

How Large is your Entrance? 

Ensure your doorways are wide enough that wheelchairs or other mobility devices can enter comfortably. Also, make sure that there are access doors in place.

Are Your Aisles Obstacle Free? 

Ask yourself if it will be challenging for anyone with a mobility device to navigate the aisles or reach the shelves? Is it easy for them to get around? Will they feel embarrassed trying to maneuver around tables or chairs scattered around corridors or hallways? 

Are your Bathrooms Easily Accessible? 

Even if you only have one stall, make sure the stall is wide enough that a mobility device can maneuver. Additionally, it is essential to have grab bars and an outward swinging door. Grab bars can allow for a safe transfer from a mobility device to the toilet. Other modifications such as a wall-mounted or pedestal sink are ideal for wheelchair accessibility, giving full use of the sink.   

Again, make sure to obtain a copy of the current ADA standards and review these in detail to see which ones apply to your business. 

At Next Day Access, the accessibility experts can help you get your business ADA compliant. Whether you need wheelchair ramps or need to make sure your doorways are up to code, we can help you out. We also specialize in home modification products and have an assortment of mobility devices. Contact us today to schedule an in-home consultation. 

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