Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D. is pleased to announce the Texas General Land Office (GLO) Coastal Management Program (CMP) is purchasing mobility mats and beach wheelchairs in 2024 so that local governments can utilize these mobility aids to help make Texas beaches easier for all to enjoy.
"As Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office and a Texan who spent over a decade living on the coast, it's important to ensure that people of all abilities have access to our beautiful beaches," said Commissioner Buckingham. "With the help of the GLO's Coastal Management Program, I am proud to provide our coastal communities with mobility chairs and mats, so that our coastline remains welcoming and enjoyable for all."
A gentleman enjoys the water at Jamaica Beach with the help of a Mobility Chair
To assess individual needs, the GLO’s CMP reached out to each eligible local government.
The GLO will be providing new ADA compliant mobility mats and chairs to the following coastal communities:
- Village of Surfside Beach: Two chairs
- Jamaica Beach: Two chairs
- Port Aransas: Two chairs
- Galveston Island Park Board of Trustees: Two chairs
- City of South Padre Island: Four rolls of mats (50ft per roll), two chairs
- Cameron County: Four rolls of mats (50ft per roll), four chairs
- City of Corpus Christi: One chair
A Mobility Mat in use at South Padre Island
By providing local governments with these mobility items, the GLO aims to aid these communities in complying with the newly amended Texas Administrative Code requirements for Americans with Disabilities Act access.
If you would like to learn more about beach accessibility measures, please click here to view the Texas Beach Accessibility Guide.