ADA accessibility being expanded on Hollywood Beach

B b a e ee a dc

Installation of Four New Mobi-Mat Accessways Begins November 6

Beachgoers traveling by wheelchair or stroller will soon have greater access to Hollywood Beach with the installation in November of four additional Mobi-Mats, semi-permanent blue plastic ADA-compliant pathways that lead toward the Atlantic Ocean.

 

The first of these new mats will be installed at 2 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 6 at Keating Park at Magnolia Terrace. Keating Park also offers ADA-compliant restrooms and is a stop for the City of Hollywood’s ADA-accessible Hollywood Trolley, making a beach excursion more convenient for all visitors, whether they visit on wheels or on foot.

 

The addition of three more Mob-Mats – at Oregon Street, Harrison Street and Carolina Street near the Hollywood Beach Marriott – will bring the total number of beach pathways to eight. In addition to Magnolia Terrace, the Harrison Street and Carolina Street locations are also Hollywood Trolley stops.

 

The City of Hollywood was a pioneer in the state of Florida in February 2009, installing four 6-foot-wide Mobi-Mats of varying lengths within the city’s Central Business District at Connecticut Street, Johnson Street, New York Street and Tyler Street. The mats have been extremely popular with wheelchair users, parents pushing strollers and barefoot beachgoers seeking relief from the hot sand.

 

The City of Hollywood was among the first in Florida to obtain authorization from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to install its first four beach accessways. The lightweight Mobi-Mat material was selected for its easy installation, fast removal prior to a storm event, reliable traction and cost-effectiveness.

 

The mats, which are funded by the City of Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and supplied by Coastal System, require a Coastal Construction Control Line permit and must be determined to pose no threat to sea turtles during the turtle-nesting season.

 

“I think the Mobi-Mats are a practical and minimally intrusive way to accommodate beach access for all users with a measure that does not impact marine turtle nesting,” said Jorge Camejo, Executive Director of the CRA.

 

Kimberly Stefanski, Planning and Economic Development Coordinator for the CRA, added, “It’s very exciting that we will soon be doubling the number of Mobi-Mats on Hollywood Beach and expanding the coverage area to accommodate residents and visitors in multiple areas of the city.”

 

The Hollywood Trolley offers convenient, affordable transportation for $1 per person per ride and is free for children ages 5 and younger. The trolley departs approximately every 30 minutes from more than a dozen beach and downtown locations, and operates from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Additional information is available at www.visithollywoodfl.org/trolley.

Author: Amanda Jones
Author: Amanda Jones

Amanda Jones specializes in social media marketing. She holds a Master's degree in Social Media Management from the University of Florida and a Social Media Professional Certificate from the University of Miami.

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