Mammoth Cave National Park ABA Compliance
After a recent road trip to the Mammoth Cave National Park (Mammoth Park), I am pleased to report that this facility has a high level of compliance with the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) for individuals living with a disability.
Mammoth Park is managed by the US National Park Service (NPS). NPS is a bureau within the US Department of the Interior. The Department of Interior, a part of the US Federal Government, protects and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage.
The Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards (ABAAS) (ABA), covers a wide range of facilities, including U.S. post offices, Veterans Affairs medical facilities, national parks, Social Security Administration offices, federal office buildings, U.S. courthouses, and federal prisons. It also applies to non-government facilities that have received federal funding, such as certain schools, public housing, and mass transit systems. The ABA requires access to facilities that are designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds. At national parks the ABA covers elements and spaces like visitor information centers, offices, sidewalks, parking lots, restrooms and others. For technical guidance the ABA is very similar to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Mammoth Park has the longest known cave system in the world with 400 miles surveyed to date. Although the purpose of the park is to provide pedestrian access to the vast expanse of the underground Mammoth cave structure, it is clear a strong effort was made to ensure the park is ABA compliant. The photo below shows the sign at the front of the visitor center.
Mammoth Cave National Park Sign
VISITOR CENTER
Accessible elements and components were observed at the visitor center to include the front/main pedestrian entrance, the information booth counter, the sales and service counter, the toilet rooms, and the museum displays. See the photo below where the signage for the front/main pedestrian public entrance indicates the entrance is accessible.
Mammoth Park Visitor Center Front/Main Pedestrian Public Entrance with Accessible Entrance
The photo below is a closeup of the exterior sign with an International Symbol of Accessibility as shown in the photo above.
Mammoth Park Visitor Center Accessible Entrance Sign for Automated Door
From inside the visitor center the front/main pedestrian exit doors have a sign indicating the right door is automated for opening. See the photo below. The actuator switch is on the right.
Front/Main Pedestrian Entrance for Automated Accessible Door with Actuator Switch
Once inside the visitor center, the height of the information booth counter is consistently 36 inches or less above the adjacent finished floor. See the photo below.
Mammoth Park Visitor Center Information Booth With Accessible Counters
The sales and service counter also has a portion that is not more than 36 inches above the adjacent finished floor. See the photo below.
Mammoth Park Visitors Center Sales Counter
A portion of the visitor center is like a museum with informational displays to explain how the cave was formed and the history of the cave. Each display has an accessible information sign that is well within reach of individuals living in a wheelchair. The photo below is representative. Some of these displays have a push-button switch that allows a viewer to interact with the display. These switches are accessible operable parts.
Mammoth Park Visitor Center Museum Display with Accessible Information Sign
Although the facility is mostly compliant with the ABA, I did find one installation that violates the requirements for protruding objects. At the public toilet rooms in the Visitor Center there is a wall-mounted defibrillator housing that protrudes more than 4 inches from the wall and the bottom of the housing is more than 27 inches above the adjacent floor. This protruding object is above the cane detection zone. See the photo below.
Defibrillator Installation Protruding from the Wall
The requirements for protruding objects are shown in the graphic below.
Protruding Objects Limitations for ABA Compliance
Interestingly there was another defibrillator installation in the Visitor Center that was at this same height but because it is recessed into the wall the installation is not a protruding object. See the photo below.
Defibrillator Installation That is not a Protruding Object
THE CAVE TOURS
Mammoth Cave offers numerous cave tours throughout the year. The selection of tours changes seasonally and with staffing availability. You can read descriptions and learn more about these other cave tours before planning your trip to the park. Because of the underground nature of the caves, it is necessary to descend from the surface of the park down into the caves. Most of the cave tours require the use of stairways like that shown below.
Mammoth Park Cave Tour with Stairway for Entry/Exit
Stairways are not part of an accessible pedestrian route as defined by ABA and ADA.
The website for Mammoth has a section dedicated to Accessible Activities. One cave tour is designed for individuals living with a disability. Utilizing the Elevator Entrance, this tour emerges near the famous Snowball Room. Continuing through historic Cleveland Avenue, this tour passes through areas of the cave highly decorated with historic signatures and sparkling geological formations. This tour is ideal for people who wish to see the cave and are looking for a tour with no stairs. The photo below is from the Mammoth website.
Mammoth Park Accessible Cave Tour
This is an accessible tour that lasts about 2 hours. This tour is designed for persons with a disability, limited physical mobility, or any other reason for a tour with no stairs. Wheelchairs, scooters and other assistive devices are allowed. Accessible restrooms are on this tour.
Participants meet at the visitor center for a caravan in their personal vehicles to drive approximately 2 miles to the elevator entrance. Assistive devices will need to be decontaminated upon exiting the cave to limit the spread of White Nose Syndrome. Please note:
No transportation or mobility assistive devices, such as wheelchairs, walkers or canes are available. NPS employees will not transport or assist visitors or visitor equipment. If visitors need assistance with the Park's accessible features, they must bring a companion with them for aid.
The Accessible Tour utilizes a single elevator to reach the tour route inside the cave. The elevator receives regular maintenance but can experience operational issues because of effects from the cave's natural environment.