TAS/ADA Detectable Warnings

Good Morning,

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing Christmas and New Year. For this months newsletter, I will be talking about Detectable Warnings and when they are required here in Texas. If you missed the previous newsletters, and would like to catch up, click here.

In Texas, a curb ramp located within a site is no longer required to contrast with adjoining surfaces or include detectable warnings or grooves. As far as the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards are concerned, detectable warnings are currently only required on curb ramps at certain transportation facilities and at rail station boarding platforms with unprotected drop-offs. There is actually more text describing the trunacated dome pattern specs, than there is saying where they are required.

Here are the two 2012 TAS refernces.

705.2 Platform Edges.
Detectable warning surfaces at platform boarding edges shall be 24 inches (610 mm) wide and shall extend the full length of the public use areas of the platform.

810.5.2 Detectable Warnings.
Platform boarding edges not protected by platform screens or guards shall have detectable warnings complying with 705 along the full length of the public use area of the platform.

The Texas Architectural Barriers Administrative Rules speaks more about detectable warnings on curb ramps in 68.102 Public Right-of-Ways Projects.

(2) Curb Ramps--At curb ramps constructed within the public right-of-way, handrails are not required; however, if provided they must comply with TAS 405.8. For purposes of this section, non-signalized driveways are not considered to be hazardous vehicular areas.

(A) At perpendicular curb ramps constructed within the public right of way, detectable warnings complying with TAS 705 at a minimum of 24” in depth (in the direction of pedestrian travel) and extending the full width of the curb ramp shall be provided where the pedestrian access route enters a crosswalk or other hazardous vehicular area.

(B) At parallel curb ramps constructed within the public right-of-way, detectable warnings complying with TAS 705 at a minimum of 24” in depth (in the direction of pedestrian travel) and extending the full width of the landing shall be provided where the pedestrian access route enters a crosswalk or other hazardous vehicular area.

(C) At diagonal curb ramps constructed within the public right-of-way, detectable warnings complying with TAS 705 at a minimum of 24” in depth (in the direction of pedestrian travel) and extending the full width of the curb ramp or landing, shall be provided where the pedestrian access route enters a crosswalk or other hazardous vehicular area. Additionally, the department will allow the detectable warning to be curved with the radius of the corner. The detectable warning shall be located so that the edge nearest the curb line is 6” minimum and 10” maximum from the curb line.

For those who are curious, here is the definition of crosswalk, as stated by The Texas Architectural Barriers Administrative Rules.

(7) Crosswalk--That part of a roadway where motorists are required to yield to pedestrians crossing, as defined by state and local regulations, whether marked or unmarked.

The United States Access Board issued an update in April of 2014 that talks about the New Proposed Guidelines for Accessible Public Rights-of-Way. It acknowledges that the current DOJ ADA standards (2010 ADAAG) nor the ABA Standards, require detectable warnings on curb ramps.

While these proposed guidelines are not finalized yet, they do give you a good look at what may be required in the near future.

Should you have any questions about the information above, or would like to discuss another area of accessibility, feel free to reach out to me. I am always happy to answer any questions.

Happy New Year!

Justin Walton
Registered Accessibility Specialist #1329
JustinKWalton@gmail.com
(940) 368-1989

Texas Accessibility Solutions
Texas-Accessibility.com