ADA Sidewalk Grades
ADA Sidewalk Grades
(OP)
We are building a 200' driveway to a new pump station where an existing paved trail is that was constructed to be ADA compliant. The new 15' wide driveway will be utilzied as this section of the trail. The driveway however has a 7.5% longitudinal grade to it. Becasue this is a paved driveway with no ability to create landings every 30', would a 200' driveway at 7.5% be considered ADA compliant when it also doubles as a sidewalk?





RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
Also, not sure if you purposely used the word "trail," but I believe there are different standards for ADA compliant trails vs. sidewalks.
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
I would recommend you not design this ramp at exactly 8.33%. Maybe shoot for 8.1%-8.2%. It's what I do because I have heard stories of engineers being pulled into ADA lawsuits by contractors that claim, by the engineer designing to the maximum allowable design grade, the contractor was given no latitude for construction tolerances. As an example, if concrete placement occurs during high winds it can affect the concrete surface and final grades. These minor irregularities in the surface are usually negligible in most instances, except when you need to meet a 2.00% maximum cross-slope.
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
Thanks for the brand name - I was aware of the products in general for overlay, but haven't used any.
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
In Australia 2.5% crossfall is the limit for accessibility compliance, while maximum 5% for longitudinal fall also.
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
I've probably mentioned this in previous threads, but where I live and design ice buildup and drainage are huge issues. Every ADA parking space I have designed to code has significantly more ice build-up than any other parking spaces throughout the parking lot. But I'm can't use common sense and engineering expertise to improve the safety of these ADA parking spaces for fear of a lawsuit.
RE: ADA Sidewalk Grades
I try to design parking spaces and pathways at 1% to be on the safe side. Remember to check the 2% max in all directions. Really bad design, but what can we do. One City around here has been putting in new ADA crosswalk ramps and when we go to design a new project they say the new ramp is not ADA compliant so we must rip it out and redesign a new one.
B+W Engineering and Design | Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer http://bwengr.com