Headquarters photo
The District 7 Office in downtown Los Angeles earlier this year held a ribbon cutting for the fully completed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible ramp.
By Monica Ruvalcaba
District 7 public information officer
Early this year, Caltrans District 7 celebrated a ribbon cutting for the fully completed Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible ramp at the District Office in downtown Los Angeles. Hosted in Edythe and Eli Broad Plaza, the event brought together leadership, staff, and members of the District 7 Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), whose ongoing advocacy helped carry the project forward over the course of several years.
Deputy District Director for Planning, Goods Movement and Local Assistance Marlon Regisford spoke on the significance of the moment, noting that accessibility must be embedded in how Caltrans operates.
“This new ADA ramp represents access, dignity, and inclusion for all,” Regisford said. “This is how equity shows up on the ground, not just in policy, but in real, tangible infrastructure.”
The journey to completion began in 2017, when an independent ADA compliance survey identified that the existing wheelchair ramp at the District 7 office did not meet ADA standards. What followed was a multi-year effort involving design, engineering, permitting, and coordination across multiple partners, including Headquarters, the Department of General Services, and the State Fire Marshal. Along the way, teams worked through structural challenges, safety requirements, and construction delays.
District 7 DAC remained a steady and persistent voice, helping steward accessibility considerations through each phase of development. As an employee-led advisory committee, DAC works to elevate disability awareness and remove barriers within the department. Its efforts reflect Caltrans’ core values, particularly equity, collaboration and a people-first approach, reinforcing accessibility as a fundamental responsibility rather than an afterthought.
“At times, it felt like every step forward came with another hurdle, but this project stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration, resistance and shared commitment,” transportation engineer and District 7 DAC Chair Seyed Torabzadeh said.
Fully operational since August 2024, the ADA-compliant ramp provides safe and reliable access for employees and visitors, aligning with federal and state standards while reinforcing Caltrans’ commitment to equity in the workplace. The new ADA ramp now stands as a lasting symbol of that commitment, one that will serve employees and visitors for years to come, and a reminder that meaningful progress often begins with advocacy and the determination to see it through.