Accessible Outdoor Sites - Guide Available from the U.S. Access Board

A guide on achieving accessible outdoor sites, including trails and camping areas, is now available from the U.S. Access Board. The 100-page document discusses and illustrates provisions of accessibility guidelines the Board issued last fall for outdoor sites developed by the federal government. These guidelines provide detailed specifications for accessible trails, picnic and camping areas, viewing areas, beach access routes and other components of outdoor developed areas when newly built or altered.

The new guide serves as a companion resource to the guidelines by explaining the intent of various requirements and how they can be met. It discusses provisions for trails and trailheads, outdoor recreation access routes, and beach access routes such as those addressing surface characteristics, width, and running and cross slopes. Outdoor constructed features, including viewing areas, camp sites, tent pads and platforms, picnic tables, grills, fire rings, and toilet and bathing facilities are also covered. In addition, the guide explains exceptions in the guidelines that may apply where compliance is not practicable because of terrain, prevailing construction practices, or other specified conditions.

The provisions for outdoor developed areas are part of the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards and apply to federal agencies that develop outdoor areas for recreational purposes, including the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation. However, the guidelines and companion guide can be used as a resource by other entities, including those subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), in addressing access to outdoor sites.

Visit the U.S. Access Board's website for further information.
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For a related post;
The Access Pass - Free, Lifetime Admission to National Parks & Other Recreation Sites for People with Disabilities
# reposted from 08/14/2014, as of repost all links are still active. As this from 2014, aways check if any information has been updated, also some states and local government entities have additional information and regulations.

U.S. Access Board Webinar: Question and Answer Session on the ADA and ABA Standards (January 5)

The next webinar in the U.S. Access Board's free monthly series will take place January 5 from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and will feature an open question and answer session on accessibility standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) for buildings and facilities. Presenters will field questions from attendees on the ADA and ABA standards, including their scope and application and specific requirements for building elements and spaces.

For more information or to register, visit www.accessibilityonline.org. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits. The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. 

Archived copies of previous U.S. Access Board webinars are available on the site.

SOURCE: Press Release, U.S. Access Board

U.S. Access Board Webinar (July 28th): Accessible Office Spaces and Interior Design

The next webinar in the Board's free monthly series will take place July 28* from 2:30 – 4:00 (ET) and cover accessible office spaces and interior design. Presenters will review how to apply and satisfy requirements in the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards in the design of office space. A representative from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) will join Board staff in conducting the webinar and discuss common office design issues, including product selection, installation details, and furniture placement and offer best practice design tips.

For more information or to register, visit www.accessibilityonline.org. Questions can be submitted in advance of the session (total limited to 25) or can be posed during the webinar. Webinar attendees can earn continuing education credits.

The webinar series is hosted by the ADA National Network in cooperation with the Board. Archived copies of previous Board webinars are available on the site.

* originally scheduled for July 7. Those who already registered for the webinar do not have to do so again.

U.S. Access Board Issues Next Installment of the Online Guide to the ADA and ABA Standards

The U.S. Access Board has released the next installment of its online guide to accessibility standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). The new material, which covers Chapter 5 of the standards, features an animation and technical bulletins on accessible parking and passenger loading zones. It also includes a technical bulletin on stairways. This guidance clarifies and illustrates provisions in the standards, answers frequently asked questions, and offers best practice recommendations.

Sections of the guide released earlier cover the first four chapters of the standards, including application and scoping, building blocks, and accessible routes. They also include animations on wheelchair maneuvering, entrances and doors, toilet and bathing facilities, and protruding objects.

The Guide to the ADA Standards covers design requirements for places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities subject to the ADA. The Guide to the ABA Standards addresses similar standards that apply under the ABA to facilities that are designed, constructed, altered, or leased with federal funds.

Future installments to the guides will be released once they become available. Users can sign-up to receive email updates on the release of new technical guides in the series.