Make Sure Your Office Is ADA Compliant
Writer • October 20, 2020

October 20, 2020

Is your building accessible to disabled persons? If not, depending on the building’s age, zoning and location, it could be an ADA accessibility lawsuit waiting to happen. On top of that, you could be actively dissuading disabled customers from stopping by, which cuts into potential income.

In addition to interior improvements, ADA compliant buildings in Philadelphia, PA must be readily accessible from the outside. This means working with an ADA-knowledgeable contractor. When you’re researching contractors, make sure that they’re known for ADA-related work. There are strict standards to follow, so it behooves you to work with a team that has plenty of experience in the field.

Here are a few accessibility upgrades that you can make with your local concrete and asphalt contractor to make your facilities accessible.

Build concrete ramps

Facilitating entry into your building is the ADA’s top priority, which means that you need to consider people with mobility issues. Unless your front door is perfectly level with the ground, you’ll probably need to build a ramp.

The ADA doesn’t specify what kind of material ramps need to be made out of, only that it’s slip-resistant, stable and firm. Most businesses choose concrete ramps, thanks to their affordability and durability.

When you install a ramp, your contractor will work with you to design plans matching ADA standards. For example, the slope of your ramp matters: a wheelchair user would have a hard time getting up a 20% grade! In fact, the slope of your ramp can be no greater than 8.33%. Working with a contractor who is up to date on current regulations is key.

Repair sidewalks and parking lots

Do the sidewalks between your business and the parking lot have a curb? If so, you need a curb ramp. Are there cracks, potholes and other hazards that could trip up disabled persons? Is your parking lot on a slope that exceeds standards? Those issues will need to be fixed, too—and if you don’t have designated disabled parking spaces, your local asphalt contractor can paint those to ADA standards.

Create ADA-compliant walkways

Finally, your business needs ADA-compliant walkways and aisles to get from the parking lot into the building. For example, if your guests have to walk over a trail of mulch to access the building, that falls short of ADA standards. Like ramps, walkways must be slip-resistant, stable and firm too. Again, the idea is to facilitate safe access to your building. People with vision or mobility problems must be able to get into the front entrance without undue effort or falling hazards.

Although the sheer number and exactitude of ADA standards can be overwhelming, working with a contractor who specializes in accessibility upgrades can take a great deal of the burden off your shoulders.

Ready to install some exterior ADA building upgrades in Philadelphia, PA? Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving, Inc. has years of experience building walkways, ramps and repairing pavement to ADA standards. Call us today to request a quote and make your facilities more welcoming and accessible to those with mobility challenges.

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Sidewalk accessibility is something every community should be focused on to ensure people who use wheelchairs or crutches are able to easily navigate the city safely. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a number of guidelines in place that help ensure accessibility for people with disabilities in all areas, including transportation infrastructure. Here is a quick overview of some of the specific requirements for wheelchair accessible sidewalks in Philadelphia, PA under the ADA: Width: The ADA has specific sidewalk width requirements to ensure they are capable of being used by people in wheelchairs. Compliant sidewalks are at least three feet wide. If less than five feet wide, there must be passing spaces created at certain intervals, measuring at least 60 inches on all sides. These passing zones should be placed every 200 feet. Texture: The texture of the sidewalk should be slip-resistant, stable and firm, which helps ensure people using mobility devices are more easily able to navigate the sidewalk without safety concerns. Any finishing done on standard concrete must be performed with these standards in mind. These standards are also in place for any grates that may be inset into the sidewalk. The openings in grates should be less than ½ inch across to ensure mobility devices do not get stuck in them. Ramps: Curb ramps are required any time a sidewalk crosses a curb, especially at street intersections. These curb ramps have specific slope requirements (less than 1:12) and must be at least 36 inches wide with a detectable warning device, such as raised dome surfaces and contrasting colors. You’ll often find many ADA compliant curb ramps are painted bright yellow to make them easily noticeable. If there is a marked crosswalk, the ramp should be entirely contained in the crosswalk. Slope: There are specific slope requirements for ADA sidewalks (less than 1:20). Otherwise, any sidewalk that exceeds this slope requirement will technically be classified as a ramp, which makes it subject to different ADA standards. Increases of more than ½ inch in elevation and exceeding the allowable slope for a sidewalk will require constructions of ramps or, in more severe circumstances, elevators or other types of compliant assistance facilities. There must always be alternatives to escalators and stairs. Obstructions: There may be obstructions in the sidewalk, such as utility poles, traffic signal devices, fire hydrants and various other types of infrastructure. An ADA compliant sidewalk must have at least 36 inches of space between the edge of the obstruction and the edge of the sidewalk. If the sidewalk cannot feasibly be constructed to comply with this standard, it is possible the obstruction will need to be relocated or removed entirely. These are just a few examples of some of the requirements municipalities must follow when designing new sidewalks or renovating old ones. For more information about ADA requirements for accessibility in public spaces, we encourage you to contact Philly Concrete & Asphalt Paving Inc. today. We’d be happy to tell you more about how we can help with wheelchair accessible sidewalks in Philadelphia, PA.
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