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BRIEF: City agrees to bring Rikers Island into ADA compliance -- even as it plans jails' costly shutdown
The New York Daily News - 8/21/2018
Aug. 21--The city has agreed to make scores of renovations to improve accessibility for disabled inmates on Rikers Island -- even as Mayor de Blasio moves forward with a costly plan to shut down the East River jail complex.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman announced the settlement agreement with the city, which will bring the jail into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The deal will also improve access for jail visitors.
A spokesman for the city's Department of Correction said it was "too early" for a cost estimate on the renovations, though some must be completed within nine months.
The government said the city had agreed to "hundreds of architectural modifications" that are to be completed over the next six years.
The city plans to close the jail in phases over the next 10 years, meaning some terms of the agreement may not apply. The closure is estimated to cost $13.9 billion.
The improvements will result in better accommodations for inmates and visitors who are visually or hearing-impaired and for those who use a wheelchair, and Correction Department employees will be trained in ADA compliance.
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