Bannack State Park ADA Upgrades FWP-CEA-POR-R3-25-011

Apr 30, 2025 10:44 AM

The goal of this project is to improve accessibility and opportunity for all visitors to enjoy Bannack State Park, especially those guests with mobility challenges. This project will specifically implement changes that will improve parking, access to the latrine, and access to the entrance of the park for people with disabilities. The reconfiguration of these elements provides opportunities to make additional improvements to this part of the park that will benefit all users including a larger and more pleasant picnic area, an interpretive plaza, and a more welcoming entrance.

The grade of the path to the existing parking lot latrine is greater than 5%, so to meet the standard set by the ADA the path will be extended and incorporated into a remodeled picnic/interpretive area adjacent to the parking lot and latrine. Disabled parking will be designed to meet ADA standards and moved and incorporated into the remodeled picnic/interpretive area. Please see project plans in Appendix A.

Funding for the ADA upgrades was secured through the FWP budget and HB5 (2021 appropriation) to improve ADA compliance at the park, and the work is planned for the 2025 construction season.

FWP is committed to the goal of increasing accessibility for everyone and complying with the standards set by the ADA. Although total accessibility is often impossible to achieve, it is the Department’s intention to make our sites as usable as possible to the greatest number of people despite limitations created by the nature of the site. Bannack’s management plan states Bannack will “provide a reasonable range of opportunities for visitors with disabilities to experience Bannack, while still retaining the historic integrity of the site…” Accessibility issues will always be present at Bannack because of the nature of the site, but this project represents a continuation of the park’s efforts to increase accessibility for everyone to participate in the “Bannack Experience”.