Wichita U.S. Courthouse gets exterior handrails update

August 04, 2022

by Patrick Morgan

Wichita, Kansas — GSA’s Region 6 Kansas Field Office recently collaborated with the City of Wichita to replace exterior handrails at the Wichita U.S. Courthouse.

Prior to the upgrade, the last steps of the exit stairs on three sides of the building blended into the public sidewalk. The new handrails reduce possible trip-and-fall hazards.

Building Manager Melanie Brace knew it was time to do something to fix the hazards following a couple safety incidents.

“I went to my director and had a heart-to-heart,” Brace said. “I expressed to him that we have to get this together and fix this issue quickly.”

GSA’s Kansas Field Office put together a project team that consisted of Travis Key, who served as both the project manager and lead graphic designer, and Amy Eckhoff, a building code subject matter expert. They also collaborated with the City of Wichita’s planning department to secure a right-of-way permit. 

“This project allowed me to go more in depth with my graphic design and architecture background,” Key said. “The project improves the safety of the employees and visitors to court, and that’s a win for the federal government.”

Eckhoff, a GSA planning architect, provided valuable expertise in design and code interpretations for the team. Her experience and expertise was vital to ensure that all codes were in compliance with the Architectural Barriers Act Standards.

“Although this was a small project, it was a very critical one,” Eckhoff said. “The collaboration between the team was a great example of us doing the necessary homework upfront to pave the way for the City of Wichita to approve it with ease, as the project encroaches on city property.”

New handrails are now in place at all exterior entrance and exit steps.