In Tennessee, a coalition of disability, aging and transportation experts teamed up with legislative leaders to address better coordination with the goal of expanding and improving accessible transportation by introducing the Tennessee Accessible Transportation and Mobility Act of 2020.
Read MoreWhere passenger loading zones are provided, at least one accessible passenger loading zone is required in every continuous 100 linear feet of loading zone or fraction thereof. Medical care and long-term care facilities, facilities using valet parking, and mechanical access parking garages always require a PLZ.
Read MoreADA compliant vehicle parking spaces and access aisles have technical requirements for width, length, height, slope, markings, connection to an accessible route, proximity to accessible facility entrance(s), and signage. Complaints about ADA accessibility for parking spaces is a common source of lawsuits.
Read MoreIssues that must satisfy ADA requirements for accessible parking facilities include number of parking spaces, location, and dispersion. Where more than one parking facility is provided on a site, the number of accessible spaces provided on the site shall be calculated according to the number of spaces required for each parking facility. Elements within a parking facility that serve the public must also be ADA accessible. These issues must be considered for new construction and altered parking facilities.
Read MoreTitle III Sign Language Interpreter ADA Lawsuit Settlement between Henderson Funeral Home and DOJ. This Complaint and Settlement may have been prevented if Henderson had taken a pro-active approach to ADA compliance.
Read MoreAn accessible means of egress is a critical component of any facility that requires compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This article explains requirements in the 2010 ADA Standards and referenced sections of the International Building Code (IBC) for an accessible means of egress.
Read MoreA Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) consultant for home modifications can play an important role in support of a health care case manager. The CAPS certification program was developed by the American Association of Retired People (AARP) and National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) to train qualified individuals in the process of planning and installing home modifications to enable people to age in place in their homes.
Read MorePlay area ground surfaces must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The 2010 ADA Standards have requirements for playground surfaces to include run slope, cross slope, gaps, change in elevation, vertical clearance, resistance to rolling a manual wheelchair across the surface, and impact attenuation from a fall.
Read MoreThe 2010 ADA Standards defines a ramp as a walking surface that has a running slope steeper than 1:20 [5%]. Ramps are similar to walking surfaces but with a steeper slope. Ramps can be a part of an accessible route. Any change in vertical elevation greater than 1/2 inch must be designed and installed as a ramp.
Read MoreThere are many aspects of pedestrian doors that must comply with the ADA Standards. Disabled individuals will tell you that doors are one of the most difficult elements for them to access. In fact doors can be one of the most common complaints filed in ADA lawsuits. For many reasons the doors in any public or private facility should be installed and monitored closely for ADA compliance.
Read MoreThis article will include a technical presentation of a walking surface as defined by the ADA. Walking surfaces can be part of an accessible route. Walking surfaces have requirements for width, slope, surface conditions, and, in some situations, passing space.
Read MoreProtruding objects are common discrepancies in facilities where the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws apply. Protruding object laws for ADA compliance apply to all circulation paths. These rules are complex and compliance involves detailed inspections of all installations in a facility that can be accessed by disabled individuals.
Read MoreReach ranges are regulated by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in section 308 of the 2010 ADA Standards. Reach ranges are broken down into forward or side (parallel) reach, obstructed high reach and unobstructed reach. Reach ranges are designed to provide accessibility for disabled people, especially people living in a wheelchair.
Read MoreProtruding objects are common discrepancies in facilities where the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) laws apply. Protruding object laws for ADA compliance apply to all circulation paths. These rules are complex and compliance involves detailed inspections of all installations in a facility that can be accessed by disabled individuals.
Read MoreThe 46 Disability Job Opportunity Project [Project] offers guidance for disabled individuals interested in a position with the Biden Administration. Please click on the link to fill out a form to apply for positions that may be forthcoming as the Administration starts to fill positions.
Read MoreClear floor and ground spaces are a necessary and common part of ADA compliance. Clear spaces provide a 30X48 inch flat floor or ground space from which the disabled can reach operable parts and other elements.
Read MoreTurning Space as defined by the ADA is covered in 2010 ADA Standard 304, Turning Space. Turning space can be a circular space or a T-shaped space. There are some exceptions to these requirements for issues such as technical infeasibility and the date the facility was constructed or occupied, but if these exceptions are employed it is important to understand that the installation does not comply with the intent of the ADA.
Read MoreTitle II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that state and local governments ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the pedestrian routes in the public right of way. An important part of this requirement is the obligation whenever streets, roadways, or highways are altered to provide curb ramps where street level pedestrian walkways cross curbs.
Read MoreA new statewide study about Tennessee disability information and resources led by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center and the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities is available at TN Disability Survey. In preparation for a major revision of their online and in-person resources, they are seeking input from people with disabilities, parents, siblings, teachers, service providers, and all other disability professionals.
Read MoreThere are specific Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for floor and ground surfaces. This article will present the technical requirements for ADA compliance of floor and ground surfaces. The 2010 ADA Standards that apply most to floor and ground surfaces are 302 and 303.
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