Erosion - A Common Campground Maintenance Issue for ADA
Information reproduced from the USDA Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails.
Look at the photo on the right. What you are seeing is a campground toilet room with a concrete pad maneuvering space for the entry door. But, the gravel walkway material that connects to the concrete pad has sunk or eroded away from the pad, making the restroom inaccessible due to the excessive difference in elevation between the walkway and the concrete pad. Erosion like this is a common campground maintenance issue. So what can be done about it?
As part of periodic maintenance, these installations can be repaired using the VanHorn Roll or a notched top. This VanHorn installation is a design that solves this problem by rolling the edge of the concrete down under the gravel surface of the adjacent walkway. See the graphic below.
The VanHorn Roll - a Design to Connect a Hard Surface to a Soft Surface
The notched top, shown on the right in the graphic above, is a similar design concept that can slow the process of differential settlement where a concrete surface meets asphalt.
Maintenance at US Forest Service sites means routine or periodic repair of existing trails, recreation sites, or facilities. Maintenance doesn’t change the original purpose, intent, or function of a facility. Maintenance isn’t covered by FSORAG or FSTAG.
ABA Standards Guide by USAB, Chapter 1: Application and Administration, Maintenance of Accessible Features, states, “It is important that accessible features be properly maintained in working order. Features of facilities and equipment required to be accessible should be maintained in operable working condition, except for isolated or temporary interruptions in service due to maintenance or repairs. However, it is important that accessible features be properly maintained in working order.”
SUMMARY: Facilities open to the public must be accessible to disabled individuals. Agencies and entities responsible for these facilities, including campgrounds and trails, should ensure that their facilities are designed, installed, and maintained in accordance with applicable accessibility guidelines. Erosion is a common occurrence at campgrounds that needs ongoing monitoring and repair. The VanHorn Roll is a solution for erosion of campground surfaces. The notched top is a solution for differential settlement.
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