WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Several crosswalks and curb ramps near Nationals Park are not in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, creating potentially dangerous situations for pedestrians in an increasingly busy corridor, a cyclist group claims.

The obstacles are prevalent along M Street, outside the new U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters, and around the stadium, said Eric Gilliland, executive director of the Washington Area Bicyclists Association.

An inspection of the area Friday found security bollards blocking curb ramps, bus shelters with virtually no sidewalk access,

and multispace parking meters inaccessible to people in wheelchairs.

Also, several crosswalks at non-signalized intersections feed into curbs with no access ramp, Gilliland said. In a letter to the D.C. Council, he said the crossings “present a significant hazard to the mobility and visually impaired.”

“It is clear … that ADA,

which has provided guidance on roadway design for almost three decades, was ignored,” Gilliland wrote.

Pedestrian and bicycle safety is a “top priority” and all new crosswalks and ramps should meet ADA standards, said Karyn LeBlanc, spokeswoman with the D.C. Department of Transportation. DDOT, she said, is working with its federal counterparts to address compliance issues on U.S.-owned property, notably the land around the DOT headquarters.

The crossing in front of the M Street Starbucks, which feeds into a solid curb, is not meant to be used anymore, LeBlanc said, as a new ADA compliant crosswalk is only a “few yards away.”

“We will send crews down to the site to remove the remainder of the markings,” she said in an e-mail.

LeBlanc said DDOT’s ADA coordinator will follow up with the federal government to address the issue of blocked curb ramps. Eve Hill, director of D.C.’s Department of Disability Rights, said her staff will visit the site this week to look for other issues that must be addressed.

“The focus has been on the stadium,” said Ward 6 D.C. Councilman Tommy Wells, who represents the ballpark district. “We need to look around the stadium to make sure there’s [disabled] access from the Metro and other areas.”

mneibauer@dcexaminer.com