ADA Guide to Icons Used on Curb Ramps and Sidewalks
When someone is walking near a curb ramp, you may see icons that look like the ones in the picture above. These icons are federally mandated signs that alert people to who can use the curb ramp and how it can be used.
A Curb Ramp Icon is an image of a person using a wheelchair while descending a curb ramp. A curb ramp icon must be placed on all curb ramps at the top landing of the ramp and at any point where two or more curb ramps meet. The curb ramp icon should not be used on sidewalk surfaces or sloped areas without curbs.
A No Wheelchair Icon is an image of a person using a wheelchair while attempting to ascend or descend a step. The no wheelchair icon must be placed at the top of any step surface located on an accessible route. It may also be used at points where an accessible route becomes inaccessible. It should not be placed on the bottom of steps, since people using wheelchairs will not have access to this area to read the sign.
A Sidewalk Ends Icon is an image of a person using a wheelchair while traveling into an unpaved surface, grass, or dirt area. The sidewalk ends icon should be located along
ADA Guide to Icons Used on Curb Ramps and Sidewalks
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodation, communications, and governmental activities. In 2008 the ADA Amendments Act expanded the definition of disability and further protects people with disabilities from discrimination. This guide will help you understand what’s required by Title II and Title III of the ADA when building or updating curb ramps or sidewalks.
The ADA requires that all newly constructed or altered state and local government facilities be readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities. This includes sidewalks, curb ramps, parking facilities, buildings, and other facilities for public use. Most curbs are built without curb ramps that are accessible to people who use mobility aids such as walkers, canes, crutches, and wheelchairs. Curb ramps that provide access to people with disabilities are designed differently than those designed for people without disabilities. The sidewalk surface must be free of cracks and holes that could cause someone to trip or trip over an object. They should be wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side; they should be smooth; they should not have sharp edges; they should have a smooth
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Guide to Icons Used on Curb Ramps and Sidewalks was written to help design professionals understand the ADA icon graphics that are available to use in the public right-of-way. The purpose of this guide is to show how these graphics can be used as a tactile/visual tool to communicate with people who are blind or visually impaired. This guide will also show how the icons can be used for wayfinding, navigation and orientation.
There are many elements in the public right-of-way that may assist persons with visual impairments, including but not limited to pedestrian signals, street furniture, signage, trees and landscaping. These elements are often referred to as Wayfinding Elements. This guide focuses on the ADA icon graphics that are used in combination with these elements.
The ADA icon graphics were first developed in 1996 under a contract from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Accessible Public Rights-of-Way: A Design Guide (RRP No. FHWA-RD-95-100). The main objective of this project was to develop guidelines for accessible pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way based upon research, best practices and recommendations from recognized experts in the field of accessibility.
The
The guide on the ADA covers what types of icons are used on curbs and sidewalks. There are many different types of disabilities that may be present when using a curb or sidewalk. It is important to know what these signs mean to protect everyone using these areas. The guide lists different types of icons that could be present and what they mean.
When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, it required that all cities and towns install curb ramps at intersections. The ramps make it possible for people using wheelchairs to get onto sidewalks and cross streets.
For a long time, there weren’t any laws requiring curb ramps to have tactile warning surfaces. So curb ramps were built without them. When the ADA Amendments Act was passed in 2008, it required that tactile warning surfaces be installed on all curb ramps and along the edges of sidewalks.
So now every city and town has to add these surfaces to their existing curb ramps and sidewalks. The new law also required that the U.S. Access Board develop guidelines for installing these tactile warning surfaces. This is not an easy task because there are so many different types of tactile warning surfaces available.
One of the problems with the existing surfaces is that they are intended to warn people who are blind or have low vision about hazards on the sidewalk, such as a drop-off at a driveway or a change in level between two sections of sidewalk. But because there are so many different types of tactile warning surfaces, it can be difficult for people who are blind or have low vision to identify them as hazards just by feeling them with a cane or their feet.*
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires cities to include curb ramps on all sidewalks, and these ramps have to have detectable warnings at the top and bottom. These warnings are intended to alert blind pedestrians that they are approaching a street, so they can stop before stepping off the curb.
The drawings below show you what these warnings look like. There are two main types. The first type is used on new curb ramps and walkways built since 2002, when the ADA was updated. The second type is used in some older locations. They both communicate the same information, but they have different tactile properties, which will be described below.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. The ADA requires state and local governments to ensure that programs, services and activities provided to the public are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
The ADA’s requirements for curb ramps and sidewalks are contained in the Title II regulation, which applies to states and local governments. The regulation is located at 28 C.F.R. Part 35, Subpart A, Appendix A.
