Priority Areas

PR I O R I T Y AR E A S The Town of Clayton has identified specific locations as priority areas for planned accessibility improvement projects. These areas have been selected due to their proximity to specific land uses, the high volume of pedestrian traffic, and due to the receipt of public comments. The priority areas as identified in the 2020 and 2021 self-evaluation are as follows:

• Area 1: Downtown o Sidewalks, curb ramps, and hazards were surveyed in the Downtown as part of the public right of way data collection. A large majority of the data collected for the overall Transition Plan pertains to the Downtown area; 48% of surveyed ramps and 58% of surveyed hazards are within the Downtown area along Main St., Church St. O’Neil St, Lombard St., and Fayetteville St. Given the high concentration of surveyed data within the Downtown, the high pedestrian usage, and requests received during public comment to fix public right of way in the Downtown area, the highest priority in addressing ADA compliance shall be given to the non-compliant ramps and hazards identified in the Downtown area. • Area 2: Accessible Parking o Accessible parking at Town parks and buildings were reviewed as a part of the Facilities Assessment data collection phase of the Transition Plan. During the collection phase, many parks and cemeteries such as Sam’s Branch Greenway, Maplewood Cemetery, Forest Hills Cemetery, and the Clayton Dog Park have no accessible parking. Additionally, comments received from the public emphasized the gaps in accessible parking near Town Hall and the Clayton Community Center. Given the high concentration of outstanding non-compliant or missing required accessible parking, the Town will prioritize and commit to ensuring ADA accessible parking compliance on a Town-wide level. • Area 3: Physical Improvements adjacent to or within 0.25 miles of Parks and Schools o The Town plans to invest in establishing ADA compliance throughout the Town, with specific attention to physical improvements adjacent to or within 0.25 miles of Townowned parks and schools. This will be a collaborative effort with the applicable agencies, such as the Johnston County School District, NCODT, and others. Focusing on improving areas surrounding parks and schools will make it safer for children with disabilities to access those facilities, and will encourage more walking in areas where safety and accessibility are not barriers. Additionally, comments received from the public emphasized the need to address gaps in the sidewalk network surrounding schools and parks, aging sidewalk infrastructure, nonexistent crosswalks where people frequently cross roads, and the various hazards that currently obstruct someone with disabilities from using those facilities. Addressing the gaps in the sidewalk network surrounding and within parks and schools will enable persons with disabilities to more freely access Town-owned parks and schools in the Johnston County School District.