ADA Path of Travel Upgrades

ADA Path of Travel Upgrades

The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed to combat discriminatory hiring and housing practices that people with mobility issues or other disabilities sometimes encountered. The ADA also addressed the efforts that organizations, businesses, and stores were to take to ensure that their facilities could be accessed by the disabled. Although most Americans are familiar with the concept of reserved parking spaces for the disabled, some property managers are far less familiar with the federal and state requirements for accessible routes. If you know or suspect that you need ADA path of travel upgrades to ensure your legal compliance, you can trust the experts at Black Hawk Paving for professional assistance.

What Are the Basic ADA Guidlines for a Path of Travel?

ADA guidelines state that an accessible path should be a continuous pedestrian passage that contains no obstructions that could impede people in wheelchairs or who use a mobility scooter, walker, cane, or crutches. An accessible route may include sidewalks and walkways, access aisles beside handicapped parking spaces, curb ramps, outdoor dining patios, or outdoor gardening departments. Walking surfaces included in an accessible route cannot have a running slope that exceeds 1:20, and the cross slope cannot exceed 1:48. Although there are exceptions, walking surfaces must typically have a minimum clear width of 36 inches. Gates and doors along the accessible route are also subject to regulations for width, and revolving gates, turnstiles, and revolving doors are not to be placed in the path of travel.

What Else Should Be Considered for Path of Travel Upgrades?

The guidelines are very lengthy and detailed. The type of business you operate, the number of buildings on your property, and the number of accessible entrances to your building or buildings can all impact the specific features that you might need. For example, if you have one parking lot and one accessible entrance, your handicapped parking spaces should be clustered as close as possible to the accessible entrance. If there are multiple buildings on your site, you will need a minimum of one accessible route that connects all accessible buildings, features, spaces, and facilities. Sports courts, recreational boating facilities, outdoor arenas, health care facilities, historical properties, and some residential housing facilities may be subject to additional guidelines, but they may be exempt from other guidelines. Furthermore, the nature of your business can impact the minimum number of accessible parking spaces you must offer. For example, some types of health care facilities are required to offer significantly more accessible spaces than retailers or restaurants.