ASC's Intersections Newsletter — August 6, 2026
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Nora's Note
36 Years In, the ADA's Promise Is Still Unfinished Business. Last week marked 36 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, prohibiting disability discrimination across public and private life. The ADA and its federal counterpart, Section 508, share a common goal—equal access—and both rely on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as their technical standard. The stakes are hard to overstate: federal websites draw more than 2.16 billion visits a month, and over 70 million Americans live with a disability. Yet in the FY 2025 Section 508 Assessment, fewer than half of agencies reviewed reported full conformance. ASC has partnered with multiple agencies to redesign websites, modernize digital services, and expand public engagement in ways that meet compliance standards. Even so, the backlog is significant; decades of documents remain inaccessible to the people the ADA and Section 508 were built to protect. As agencies move further into digital and AI-driven communication for its speed, reach, and efficiency, firms advising government must treat accessibility as a standing part of that strategy—not an afterthought bolted on later. The ADA was a landmark promise of equal access and full participation. Thirty-six years on, keeping that promise is still the work: in every document, system, website, and engagement we help shape.
Transportation
Transit advocates and residents of North Jersey are coalescing a light rail campaign. Called Better Light Rail, it is a transformative movement to expand light rail service, including an off-peak, new light rail stops in Hoboken and Jersey City, and a 10-mile extension northward to connect to NJTransit’s Hudson-Bergen light rail system in Bergen County, New Jersey. Over 40% of households in Jersey City do not own cars and all four Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) lines have seen increased ridership since last year, demonstrating a need for light rail service and more transit connectivity in North Jersey. Read more about the Better Light Rail campaign and the momentum that has grown from NJTransit’s research into the light rail expansion. (Source: Gothamist)
AMNY: MTA and disability advocates settle long-running elevator accessibility suit
Streetsblog: Oklahoma City is taking transit seriously (which is what booming regions should do)
Mass Transit Magazine: Amtrak announces preliminary framework for corporate restructure
Climate
Geothermal heat is rising from beneath New York City to reshape the future of high-rise buildings. All-electric towers are using underground thermal energy and advanced heat pump systems to deliver efficient year-round heating and cooling, dramatically reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Motivated by the city’s green build laws, and as sustainability goals accelerate, developers are discovering that one of the most promising clean-energy solutions isn’t on the roof, but deep below the foundation. Read more on the City’s clean energy future here. (Source: Canary Media)
The Economic Times: Massachusetts farm installs 832 solar panels above berry fields, and the berries grown underneath turned out sweeter and juicier and could change the future of American farming
Inside Climate News: Can new ranching practices help cattle, cowboys, and wolves coexist?
Grist: Is the recycling symbol free speech? A judge just ruled it could be.
Economic Development
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards has announced a $17M investment in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, pairing long-overdue infrastructure improvements with a broader vision of positioning the park as a premier economic and cultural destination. Planned upgrades to public amenities, recreation areas, and park infrastructure are intended to enhance the visitor experience while supporting the millions of residents and tourists who use the park each year. The effort reflects a growing emphasis on leveraging high-quality public spaces as catalysts for neighborhood revitalization, job creation, and long-term economic growth while ensuring that surrounding communities share in the benefits of future investment. Learn more about the park’s revamp here. (Source: The City Reporter)
Smart Cities Dive: Boston’s $10B coastal resilience infrastructure plan wins access to billions in federal funding
GoodGoodGood: Mamdani breaks ground on 50K affordable homes in NYC, ensuring ‘city-owned land is not sitting idle’
CBS News: JPMorgan Chase to invest $750B in increasing the US housing supply and homeownership
Digital
Financial scams targeting older adults continue to grow in both frequency and sophistication, leading policymakers to pursue stronger consumer protections. New state laws are expanding the ability of financial institutions to respond when transactions appear suspicious, creating additional opportunities to intervene before significant losses occur. Read more to learn how these legislative efforts are helping reduce financial exploitation and better protect older adults from fraud. (Source: GovTech)
Route Fifty: Rural health transformation funds go to tech companies for innovators
TechCrunch: Is the future of data centers portable? Runware builds a pod to find out
Forbes: The future of AI isn’t bigger data centers—it’s smarter infrastructure
About Arch Street Communications
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