Curb Ramps

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Provides access between the sidewalk and roadway for people using wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, crutches, or bicycles, and people who have any additional mobility or vision restrictions. Accessible curb ramps must be present in order to mark a crosswalk.

Description

Curb ramps are important safety and accessibility tools that provide access to crossings. Curb ramps are required at all intersections and midblock pedestrian crossings, as mandated by the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By mandate, curb ramps must have a slope of no more than 1:12 or 8.33%. In addition to the appropriate slope, curb ramps should have truncated domes, or another form of detectable warning, for visually impaired users, as well as level landings at both the top and bottom of the ramp. For further guidance and specific details, please refer to the ADA and proposed Public Rights-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG).

Safety Benefits

  • Allow for all sidewalk users to access sidewalks safely and directly at street crossings.
  • The change in texture provided by the truncated domes warns pedestrians with vision impairments that they are approaching a street crossing.

Street Types and Context

Applicable Street Types

Required at all intersections and midblock pedestrian crossings.

Primary User Groups

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Key Implementation Considerations

  • Separate curb ramps should be provided at each crosswalk of an intersection rather than a single ramp on the corner for both crosswalks, where feasible. This provides additional orientation guidance to pedestrians with vision impairments.
  • Curb ramps must be incorporated in all newly constructed and altered roadway projects, in addition to existing facilities receiving upgrades.

Expected Crash Reduction

A crash reduction rate for curb ramps has not yet been determined, but they are required for providing access to sidewalks which have a 65- 89% crash reduction rate.

Cost

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Depending on the scale of the project, curb ramps typically come at a moderate cost.

Timeline

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Typically, can be completed in one to two years, depending on the complexity.

References

 

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