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The Oregon Department of Transportation is attempting to address demands that it do more to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

An advocacy group for disabled people has sued ODOT, claiming eight plaintiffs around Oregon 鈥� including three in the Portland area 鈥� are being denied access to the state transportation system. The lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Oregon in U.S. District Court alleges a 鈥渟ystemic pattern and practice of discrimination against people with physical disabilities, particularly those with mobility impairments.鈥�

ODOT responded by saying it receives guidance regarding ADA compliance from the Federal Highway Administration. Department officials this week issued a statement entitled 鈥淥DOT Proactive on Access,鈥� announcing that it will spend $18 million in its next four-year capital improvement plan to construct curb ramps and other ADA-related improvements.

鈥淲e are proud of our record on the ADA and will vigorously defend it in court,鈥� the statement reads.

The suit describes challenges facing Northeast Portland resident and plaintiff William Phillips. Phillips lives in a public housing complex on North Lombard Street, also known as U.S. Route 30 Bypass, which ODOT built and maintains. Phillips has very poor eyesight, according to the suit, and must use a wheelchair due to nerve damage.

The complaint prepared by Portland attorney Stephen Brischetto asserts Phillips has difficulty accessing the sidewalks near his home because very few curb ramps have been installed, despite numerous repaving projects over the years. Traffic signals along Lombard are further said to be out of ADA compliance because buttons are out of Phillips’ reach range.

The lawsuit also mentions 鈥渕any鈥� noncompliant curb ramps along heavily-used Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (Oregon Route 99 East).

East Portland resident Laurie Sitton, another plaintiff, claims Powell Boulevard does not have compliant curb ramps, traffic signal buttons or level platform landings.

Other plaintiffs hail from Bend, Clatskanie, Hillsboro, Lincoln City and Roseburg.

In a letter to DRO’s director dated Feb. 19, ODOT Director Matt Garrett said money that would be spent litigating this case would be better used elsewhere.

鈥淚 deeply regret that despite ODOT’s willingness to work with DRO and tackle this challenge together, you have chosen to cut that conversation prematurely short and pursue litigation,鈥� Garrett wrote.