We're trying to sort through a very confusing situation regarding handicap curb ramps.

We're getting different accounts of what happened, depending on who we ask.

Many of the city's wheelchair curb ramps were only installed last year, but some are already being replaced at a cost of $800,000.

The city of Lincoln is spending almost $170,000 to replace the ramps.

Federal dollars cover the rest.

At issue: whether the ramps met the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

City Councilman Doug Emery says the feds approved the initial plans, but the federal disability requirements changed, so the ramps installed under those old plans failed inspection.

Doug Hecox, a spokesperson for the Federal Highway Administration, or FHWA, says his organization approved a very general plan, but the city used the same ramp style at every location, not taking into account terrain differences.

Miki Esposito, Interim Public Works Director the for city of Lincoln, says that's not the case.

Esposito says problems arose when the ADA inspector interpreted a rule differently than the city.

She says they weren't really given an opportunity to defend their ramps, and the FHWA sided with the inspector.

She says they had to replace the ramps rather than lose $9.3 million in federal funding.

Emery says he understands how important the ramps are to the disabled community, but he hopes new legislation can be passed to prevent something like this from happening again.