Welcome to Access Benton County!

We are a community based group who strives to make access available to all the citizens of Corvallis and Benton County.

The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA) was one of the first efforts of Congress to ensure access to the built environment. This law also created the Access Board which develops and maintains accessibility guidelines under this law. The Act requires access to facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. These guidelines serve as the basis for the standards used to enforce the law.

Federal agencies are responsible for ensuring compliance with the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS). Four Federal agencies are responsible for the standards: the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the General Services Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service.

This initiative of an accessibility law led to a national coalition of states that developed "Councils" of citizens advocating for the enforcement of the Architectural Barriers Act. Oregon had its own Oregon Architectural Barriers Council and Corvallis had its own chapter of this
movement, Corvallis OABC. This group was formed in the early 1970's.

Some persons still remember the large number of members meeting for lunch in restaurants in Corvallis to conduct their monthly business. Members included representatives of health care facilities, Oregon State University, Federal Agencies, State Agencies, and all others having an interest in handicapped accessibility.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 extended much of the accessibility laws to include businesses and other organizations serving the public. By the mid-1990's the Corvallis Chapter of OABC found itself to be the last Chapter in Oregon reflecting the ABA in its name.

Members then decided to change the name to Access Benton County in order to reflect our county-wide mission to improve accessibility.