As a part of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities, there are certain specifications and requirements that curbs and ramps must meet in order to meet code standards. Below, I discuss the different elements of these standards and the specs that they must meet.
ADA Accessible ramps must be provided wherever a curb meets an accessible route. Accessible routes are qualified as having a minimum 36 inch clearance. The slope of the ramp must be built with the least possible incline to allow for easier accessibility to all users, with a 1:2 slope being the maximum slope. The sides of a curb ramp must have flared sides if it is located where pedestrians are able to walk across the ramp or if it is not protected by hand or guardrails; the maximum slop of a flare is to be no more than 1:10.
Built-up curb ramps should be built so that they do not protrude into vehicular lanes of traffic, cars, bikes, or otherwise. Accessible ramps need to be located or protected to ensure they cannot be blocked by vehicles parking or driving. Any raised islands within a crosswalk must be accessible through installed ramps, the island must have at least 48 inches of clear space available for pedestrians in the area of the island intersected be the crosswalk.
The surface of ADA accessible ramps must be stable, firm, and slip resistant. If the surface of the ramp is separate from the concrete surface, it may be up to .25" above the ramp without edge treatment. For surfaces more than .25" vertical above the ramp must be beveled to accommodate access. Detectable warnings should be used to ensure safety. Detectable warnings are surfaces with raised truncated domes which must contrast visually with the adjoining surfaces (typically concrete). The detectable warning must extend the full width and depth of the curb ramp.
These are most of the required specifications of ADA accessible curb ramps, however, it would be wise to check the Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 144, pages 35632-35633 for in depth descriptions and exact measurements for requirements. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below.
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