2016 California Standards for Accessible Design Pocket Guide - Eff. Jan. 1, 2017

 Advisory 11B-302.1 General.  Outdoor walking surfaces are often constructed of concrete or asphalt.  Where permeable surfaces such as compacted decomposed granite or similar material are part of the accessible route, stabilizing admixtures or binders can help to provide a firm, stable and slip-resistant surface. Such surfaces should be edged or otherwise contained to provide stability. The maintenance required to keep these surfaces firm and stable should be considered when selecting such materials.

Additional information regarding accessible exterior surfaces is available on the US Access Board website at http://www.access-board.gov/research/completed-research/accessible-exterior-surfaces. ◼

 Advisory 11B-302.2 Carpet.  The accessibility provisions of the California Building Code apply only to the design, alteration, and new construction of buildings and facilities, not to movable floor mats. However, if floor mats are built-in as part of new construction or alterations, and are part of an accessible route, they must comply with the accessibility provisions of this section and Section 11B-302.1 which requires firm, stable and slip-resistant surfaces along accessible routes.

However, in addition to circumstances in which the California Building Code applies to built-in floor mats, there may also be circumstances in which Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements apply to floor mats that are not built in. If movable floor mats impede access for people with disabilities, they may need to be moved or removed under Section 36.304 of the ADA Title III regulations. That section requires that a public accommodation remove barriers in existing facilities where removing them is "readily achievable," that is, easily accomplishable and able to be carried out without much difficulty or expense. Even though the requirements of this chapter would not apply to the mats themselves, the ADA regulations can provide helpful guidance in ensuring that mats do not constitute barriers. ◼

 Advisory 11B-302.3 Openings. Elongated openings, like those of most grates, must be oriented so that the long dimension is perpendicular to the dominant travel direction. In locations where there is no dominant flow pattern, openings should be limited to ½” in both dimensions. Where an accessible route is available to bypass openings completely, they can be oriented in any direction. ◼