Look at the photo on the right. What you are seeing is a picnic table installation at a rest stop on I-75 in north Florida. This is a great example of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) done right! In Florida, installations such as this rest stop must comply with the ADA and the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction (FACBC).

In the photo above you can see an accessible route leading to the accessible picnic table area and a large sign on the right with the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA). This large sign is not required by either the ADA or the FACBC, but it sure helps disabled individuals see it from a distance. With that guidance, the accessible picnic table is easily found and the setup at this pavilion is very accessible for individuals using a wheelchair for mobility. And it should be pointed out that this installation is a dining table/surface. See the photo below.

In the photo above a bench is visible on the back side of the accessible dining table and an opening below the table is visible on the front side of the table that is large enough for a wheelchair used to approach the picnic table in a forward direction. The ground surface in front of the table is large enough to provide a clear space.

2010 ADA Standard 226.1, [Dining Surfaces and Work Surfaces] General, states, “Where dining surfaces are provided for the consumption of food or drink, at least 5 percent of the seating spaces and standing spaces at the dining surfaces shall comply with [Standard] 902. In addition, where work surfaces are provided for use by other than employees, at least 5 percent shall comply with [Standard] 902.”

2010 ADA Standard 226.2, [Dining Surfaces and Work Surfaces] Dispersion, states, “Dining surfaces and work surfaces required to comply with [Standard] 902 shall be dispersed throughout the space or facility containing dining surfaces and work surfaces.”

2010 ADA Standard 902.2, [Dining Surfaces and Work Surfaces] Clear Floor or Ground Space, states, “A clear floor space complying with [Standard] 305 positioned for a forward approach shall be provided. Knee and toe clearance complying with [Standard] 306 shall be provided.” A clear floor space complying with Standard 305 is at least 36X48 inches in size. The graphic below is representative.

2010 ADA Standard 902.3 [Dining Surfaces and Work Surfaces] Height, states, “The tops of dining surfaces and work surfaces shall be 28 inches (710 mm) minimum and 34 inches (865 mm) maximum above the finish floor or ground.”

Interestingly, the bench on the back side of this accessible dining table is not covered by the ADA Standards or FACBC. Those regulatory documents only cover benches in holding cells for prisons, dressing rooms, and saunas.

SUMMARY: This picnic table at a rest stop on a freeway in north FL is a great example of the ADA done right. All measurements of this installation comply with the ADA and FACBC, and the large ISA sign exceeds the requirements of the ADA and FACBC.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

If you observe a facility that is not ADA compliant and you would like to know how to proceed, please see the link at What To Do When A Building Is Not ADA Compliant or Accessible.

ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, offers ADA/ABA/FHA accessibility compliance inspections for buildings and facilities, as applicable to the different laws, and expert witness services with respect to ADA/ABA/FHA laws for building owners, tenants and managers. Also, ADAIN offers consulting for home modifications as a CAPS consultant for people wishing to age in place in their homes. For a complete list of services please see ADAIN Services.

Thank you.