×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

ADA and Steep Streets

ADA and Steep Streets

ADA and Steep Streets

(OP)
I have prepared plans for a street rehab of an existing street where the existing street grades are over 5% in some areas. This project includes sidewalk replacement and the contractor is saying that he can't build a sidewalk with a slope greater than 5% because it is against the ADA (CBC in California) code. I have always thought that the sidewalk can follow the grade of the road without any issues but I can't justify it with a specific code. Anyone have any thoughts? What do they do in San Fransico?

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

This might be a situation defined as 'technically infeasible'.  Here is the definition below, cut and pasted from the American with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) :

Technically Infeasible. Means, with respect to an alteration of a building or a facility, that it has little likelihood of being accomplished because existing structural conditions.......or because other existing physical or site constraints prohibit modification or addition of elements, spaces, or features which are in full and strict compliance with the minimum requirements for new construction and which are necessary to provide accessibility.

How long are your sections greater than 5%?  Do you have room in the ROW to create sidewalk switchbacks? Ramps can also exceed 5% (1:12) for 30-foot distances as long as they have handrails and landing areas at either ends.  

http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.1.6

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

Call the ADA, I'm pretty sure it can follow the grade of the road, at least here in MA it can.

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

If it has to be limited to 5%, just restrict the handicap access to motorized wheelchairs.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto:  KISS
Motivation:  Don't ask

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

of course, California might have a more restrictive requirement than the Federal government.

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

Thats correct, the sidewalk can have the same grade as the road. No ramps for ADA at that grade over 5%.

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

Like a few have have mentioned, California in some cases is more (or should I say "many") restrictive with ADA regulations than the federal standard. If your project is in California, I would suggest using the CALDAG....its a great resource. It contains interpretations and explanations of ADA standards between Federal and California standards completely filled with tables, figures and detailed summary of the most restrictive standard.

I work primarly in the San Francisco Bay Area, and yes the great manjority of the time, the sidewalk will follow the slope of the street. That is what is done in San Francisco. In other cities, they allow you to follow the grade of the road as long as the sidewalk is not separated from the curb.

In my 5 years of experience, I have only come across one project where I was asked to meet ADA standards for a sidewalk on a street that exceeded 10%. The only way to do so, was to separate the sidewalk and slope it to the maximum 8.33% with handrails. It was a so NOT attractive solution but it was approved.

The moment that your walkway exceeds 5% and its separated than it becomes a ramp and there are length, width and handrail requirements that need to be followed. I hope this helps.

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

Well, here in Florida we have our "Roadway Design Standards" which cleary states all ADA requirements for many scenerios.  I hope California has them.  Always refer to the Design Standards for your state. If not then go online and look it up on another states standards. Most are all in PDF and downloadable.  It's a great template to use.

RE: ADA and Steep Streets

(OP)
Thanks for everyone's responses

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources