The City of Burleson has begun a citywide assessment of sidewalk accessibility as part of its Americans with Disabilities Act self-evaluation and transition planning, aiming to identify barriers within the public right-of-way and inform future improvements. The work will be carried out by Kimley-Horn, which is deploying trained field technicians alongside robotic measurement devices developed by Daxbot.
The assessment is expected to cover up to 218 linear miles of sidewalk corridors and approximately eight miles of paved trails. Sidewalk corridors, as defined by the project, include sidewalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian street crossings. Field activities are scheduled to begin during the week of January 20.
According to Errick Thompson, director of public works for the city, the effort is intended to establish a comprehensive and objective baseline of existing sidewalk conditions. Thompson said the resulting data will support the development of priorities for accessibility improvements affecting residents and visitors.
The robotic units are designed to operate at walking speed along pedestrian routes while collecting detailed measurements related to accessibility. These include sidewalk slope, travel width, vertical changes, and physical barriers. The information will be used to create an inventory of accessibility concerns and potential hazards throughout the city.
Brian Shamburger, principal and project manager at Kimley-Horn, said the combination of field technicians and detailed robotic measurements allows conditions to be documented consistently across a large geographic area, supporting the development of practical recommendations based on observed conditions.
The project’s deliverables are expected to include GIS-ready field data, records of access barriers, and maps identifying locations with accessibility issues. City officials have advised residents that the robotic units may be visible in neighborhoods during the assessment period and have asked motorists to extend the same consideration they would to road maintenance crews.
