Outdoor Developed Areas: A Summary of Accessibility Standards for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas

Openings [1018.6]

Openings are gaps in the surface of a beach access route. Gaps, including spaces between the planks on a boardwalk and drainage holes in temporary or permanent surfaces, that are big enough for wheels, canes, or crutch tips to drop through or become trapped in are potential hazards.

Openings in the surface of beach access routes and resting intervals must be small enough so that a sphere more than one-half inch in diameter cannot pass through. Where possible, elongated openings should be placed perpendicular, or as close to perpendicular as possible, to the dominant direction of travel or outside of the clear width of the beach access route.