Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced that the Texas General Land Office will purchase beach wheelchairs and mobility mats in 2026 to help local governments along the coast improve access for visitors with disabilities.
The purchases will be made through the GLO’s Coastal Management Program, which contacted eligible local governments to gauge their needs, the agency announced on Tuesday.
“As Land Commissioner and a Texan who spent more than a decade living on the coast, it’s an honor to ensure people of all abilities have access to our beautiful beaches,” Buckingham said. “A big thank you to the GLO’s Coastal Management Program (CMP). With their help, I am proud to be able to purchase mobility mats and beach wheelchairs for communities in need so that our coastline remains welcoming and enjoyable for all.”
The GLO said the new equipment will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and is intended to help communities meet recently amended requirements in the Texas Administrative Code.
Recipients of the mobility equipment include the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, which will receive three beach wheelchairs, and the City of Galveston, which will receive one. The City of South Padre Island will receive two beach wheelchairs and four 50-foot mobility mats, while Cameron County Parks and Recreation will receive two 50-foot mobility mats.
The Coastal Management Program is also distributing signage to help protect dunes and dune vegetation and to guide beachgoers to designated parking areas and access points. According to the GLO, the signs are designed to improve safety and help preserve the coastal dune system.
Communities set to receive signage include Matagorda County, Brazoria County, the Galveston Park Board of Trustees, the City of Galveston, the City of Corpus Christi, Cameron County Parks and Recreation, and the Village of Surfside Beach.
The Texas Beach Accessibility Guide is available here.
Provided by Dallas Express
