About : standard furniture houston
Title : standard furniture houston
standard furniture houston
[music][narrator] traveling...... working...... exploring.......participating. the freedom to move about our communities- and our world - is vital to us. being able to share in all life has to offer is essentialto our well-being and our quality of life. but sometimes that opportunity is blockedby inaccessibility, and someone's chance to actively participate independently in dayto day activities is obstructed. making our communities accessible makes sense for everyone;accessible facilities are simply more usable, more practical, more inclusive. simply put;accessibility equals usability. in 1973 the rehabilitation act was passed,prohibiting discrimination based on a person's
disability in federally funded programs. in1990, the americans with disabilities act was passed making accessibility a civil right.under the ada, designing and constructing facilities for public use that are not usableby people who have disabilities is discrimination. to ensure that buildings and facilities areaccessible to and usable by people with disabilities, the ada establishes accessibility requirementsfor places of public accommodation. "so i have to turn around and go back tothe nearest crosswalk...." [narrator]designers who are familiar with the rationale behind accessibility specifications are betterprepared to plan and build projects that all citizens can use; thereby bringing communitiestogether.
economic development, environmental issuesand population trends point to a return to central cities where people live, work andplay within a central community. this type of development will place a higher premiumon pedestrian traffic and efficient in-city transportation. in addition, our populationis aging. baby-boomers will begin turning 65 in the year 2011, creating a wave of olderworkers, drivers and pedestrians. our future, and the ability of communities and citiesto thrive in the future is tied to creating pedestrian friendly environments that areaccessible and usable for everyone. in this program, we'll look at accessibilityfrom several user perspectives. gary, boone, nancy, and tanya will be our guides as welook at sidewalks, corners, street crossings
and signals. we'll give you an idea of thechallenges encountered on a daily basis by people with disabilities, and look at waysto design and build facilities that are more accessible for everyone.[music] [narrator]a good pedestrian route has distinct characteristics that make it both functional and practical.features include providing enough space for pedestrians to travel, pass, and gather. awell-maintained surface should be firm, stable, slip resistant, and free of vertical obstructionslike lips and bumps. the grade and cross slope should be minimized, making the route flatterand more accessible. the path should be clear; with minimal clutter, obstructions, and protrusions.a good pedestrian route begins with a sidewalk.
sidewalks are walkways that parallel a streetor a highway usually within the public right of way.sidewalk surfaces should be firm, stable, and slip resistant. some pavers are not suitablefor sidewalks-split face stone units, cobblestones, and other irregular surfaces are not easilytraversed by pedestrians with mobility impairments. they may catch a dragging foot or triggera painful spasm in response to repeated jarring in some wheelchair users. these types of paversare best used as borders and edges on sidewalks that can provide tactile cues for people likegary. color contrast and/or texture change in outdoor dining areas helps pedestrianswith vision impairments distinguish the walkway from the eating area. standardization of materialsand consistency in use provide the maximum
benefit for pedestrians.other surface features that affect accessibility are gratings and similar features that haveopenings or gaps that exceed 1/2 inch . these gaps can capture the small front wheels ofa wheelchair, or the end of a crutch or cane, possibly leading to a trip or a fall. tanyahas to concentrate and carefully place her crutches to avoid an accident. changes insurface texture may cause a crutch or cane tip to react differently. these metal constructionplates are slippery when wet, and are an even greater hazard when covered with snow or ice.a wide walkway with a central travel path and limited slope is ideal. because wheelchairsdo not track within the same path when turning, additional length and width are necessaryat turns. and because the length of a wheelchair
exceeds it's width, extra walk space isnecessary to turn and operate an entrance door, to approach and activate a pedestriancrossing signal button, or to enter or leave a curb ramp.narrow sidewalks immediately adjacent to street curbs provide little room for maneuvering.nancy has to be very careful the wheel of her motorized chair doesn't drop off the edgeof this narrow sidewalk. one moment of inattention could be disastrous. tanya also has problemsnegotiating this path; it's narrowness makes it hard to achieve a comfortable gait. tanya'sstance may cover up to 42 inches at times in order to be stable. most people need closerto 48 inches of width for easy passage and to walk side by side. sidewalks that are atleast 60 inches wide allow pedestrians to
travel comfortably side by side and are theminimum convenient width for turning or passing. wider sidewalks are appropriate in many urbanareas and where routine pedestrian activity is anticipated. these wide sidewalks invitestrolling and shopping, and can accommodate larger crowds.excessive cross slope is a major barrier to travel along sidewalks for pedestrians whouse wheelchairs and scooters, those who use crutches, canes or walkers, pedestrians whohave braces or lower limb prosthesis, and those who have gait, balance and stamina impairments.cross slopes that exceed 2% significantly impede forward progress on an uphill slope,and compromise control and balance in downhill travel and on turns. because the cross slopeis typically directed toward the roadway,
pedestrians who lose balance or traction arein danger of sliding towards or into the roadway. tanya also has problems with this cross slope:it's difficult for her to maintain balance and control with her crutches. it takes significantlymore energy to negotiate a cross slope than a horizontal surface, energy that could otherwisebe used for forward travel. tanya is especially wary of excessive cross slope when travelingdownhill. she builds up extra speed which makes control difficult. any irregularityon the sidewalk which could catch her foot, or hold it up can be treacherous.sometimes, a small change or accommodation makes a big difference. the drive was slopedfor the cars, but the sidewalk was also sloped to match the driveway apron. a solution wouldbe to provide access to the flat area at the
top of the driveway. it will be easier toconstruct an accessible sidewalk/driveway interface if the sidewalk is set back a fewfeet behind the curb. the resulting furniture zone provides good space for streetsigns, parking meters and trees, without obstructing the sidewalk.sidewalks in the public right of way most commonly follow the grade of the adjacentroadways. if the sidewalk grade exceeds the general grade of the roadway and is over 5%,then they must meet the requirements of a 'ramp.' where an overpass, underpass, bridgeor similar structure is designed for pedestrian use only, the slope of the access route mustbe less than 5% or meet ramp requirements. ramps have a running slope between 5% minimumand 8.3% maximum. ramps that have a rise greater
than 6 inches require handrails on both sideslike this one. ramps require handrails on both sides likethis one. if handrails are provided but not required, they still must meet accessibilityguidelines. handrails provide extra stability and support to pedestrians and can help preventfalls. the maximum height of the handrail should be between 34-38 inches, and it shouldbe continuous along the length of the ramp, and free of sharp edges or abrasive elements.for safety, the handrail may not rotate within it's fitting. people with disabilities, olderpeople, and others benefit from a continuous gripping surface that permits users to reachthe fingers outward or downward to grasp the handrail. handrail extensions are requiredbecause they allow users to be completely
off the ramp and on a level surface beforethey let go. edge protection is required to prevent crutchesor cane tips from slipping off the ramp, and it must be on both sides. this protectionis achieved by using a curb or rail element near the bottom of the handrail, or by extendingthe ramp surface 12 inches beyond the handrail. the placement of the lower element would preventpassage of a 4 inch sphere, keeping crutches and cane tips safely within the ramp.the passage along or within a sidewalk should be clear of obstructions underfoot, overhead,or in between. objects that encroach on a path of travel can be a significant hazardfor pedestrians who are blind. elements such as awnings, banners, signs,tree branches and items that protrude into
the sidewalk above a height of 27 inches maynot be detectable to people like gary who use a long cane to travel independently. thissign is directly in the path of travel. an easy solution would be to raise or lower thesign, add a detectable base, or relocate it out of the pedestrian path. a straight-forwardpredictable routing along a sidewalk, where street furniture, landscaping and utilitiesare grouped together in a zone along the curb, will facilitate travel for those with visionimpairments. in most cities, street side amenities suchas furniture or benches provide accessible resting areas for pedestrians. this is especiallyimportant where the sidewalk grade is steep. a level area should be provided for seating;and placed away from corners.
given the importance of pedestrian travel,and the fact that pedestrian routes are used even when affected by rain, snow, or ice,providing more than the minimum of access features should be encouraged.sidewalks that shift or settle over time make the maintenance of accessible features important.sidewalks that may have been smooth in the beginning, may not stay that way and thenbecome another obstacle to independent travel. accessible designs are useless if maintenanceis neglected. erupting tree roots, weather damage and poor workmanship may cause cracks,splits, and heaving. maintenance programs that target heavily used pedestrian routesand quickly respond to citizen reports of damage, will minimize delays and inconveniencefor pedestrians with disabilities. some new
materials offer resistance to cracks, splits,and heaving which would cut down on maintenance. [music][narrator] curb ramps are one basic unit of accessibilityin a pedestrian circulation network. there are three basic types of curb ramps; the perpendicularcurb ramp which may be either normal or directional, the parallel curb ramp, and the combinationcurb ramp. the perpendicular curb ramp is the most common,with the running slope cutting through the curb at right angles. parallel curb rampshave a running slope that is in line with the direction of sidewalk travel. the landing,or turning space, is located at the bottom of a parallel curb ramp providing access tothe street crossing. combination curb ramps
use elements of perpendicular and parallelcurb ramps to access sidewalks. blended transitions, which are large, nearly level areas at corners,may also be used to provide access. blended transitions occur where the sidewalk corneris depressed or the street crossing is raised, so that the sidewalk and street crossing areat nearly the same level. curb ramps are comprised of the upslope or downslope, the edges, andthe landing. when boone approaches a perpendicular curbramp in his manual wheelchair, he ascends the ramp straight on, taking a run at theupslope to take advantage of his forward momentum. the curb ramp needs to be perpendicular tothe curb it cuts so that both sides are the same length. it's important that the baseof the curb ramp falls within the crosswalk,
and entirely out of the path of parallel vehiculartraffic. large, level landings, or turning spaces,at the top of each ramp make it possible to change directions after completing the ascentrather than during it. they also provide a level area that allows pedestrians to bypasscurb ramps entirely. with this kind of space, tanya can keep both crutch tips on the ground,resulting in a safer trip. in some cases, intersecting curb ramps must share a landing.enough space should be provided so that the edges of the curb ramp do not intrude ontothe flat surface. slopes on turning spaces are not currently permitted to exceed2% in any direction. curb ramps which have a cross slope, or aslope which is running perpendicular to the
direction of travel of more than 2% may causea loss of contact with the surface and can make them unusable for people with disabilities.the edges of the curb ramp must be flared if pedestrians will be walking across them,so as to not present a tripping hazard. if the adjacent surface is landscaped, or pedestriantravel is blocked, a flare is not required and a side curb can be used.the ramp surface should meet general accessibility standards of being firm, stable, and slip-resistant.gratings, access covers and other appurtenances should not be located in the curb ramp, landingor blended transitions. changes in surface texture can be challenging because each typeof surface will respond differently to tanya's crutch tip. firm, slip resistant surfacesthat provide good contact will facilitate
travel. knowledgeable design, wise materialselection, good construction practices and regular maintenance can help ensure a smoothtransition stays that way. the transition from the street to the curbramp must be flush, without a lip or difference in level. lips can cause a wheelchair to stopsuddenly; sometimes abruptly enough to dislodge the user. therefore, lips should not be presentin the street either, within the pedestrian crossing area. care must be taken to ensurethat pavement resurfacing doesn't create an obstacle to pedestrian travel. nancy's motorizedchair doesn't have much of a problem but she is shaken and jostled as she crosses the lip;movement which may cause pain for people with certain types of disabilities.joints or cracks in the sidewalk at the top
of a curb ramp can create barriers to movementand instability in the travel path. slippery surface conditions like rain, ice, and snow,make it even more hazardous. nancy's motorized chair easily tops this crack when the surfaceis dry, but when it's wet it's a different story.curb ramps and blended transitions are required to have detectable warnings, a tactile surfacefeature indicating a change from the walkway to the roadway. this feature is particularlyimportant for gary. gary can easily detect a difference when he encounters the truncateddome surface of the detectable warning. his cane may reflect the different sound and feelof the surface material. for someone who doesn't use a cane, the truncated domes provide theneeded warning because they can be detected
underfoot. detectable warnings should be providedanywhere a pedestrian route intersects a street and the curb has been removed. they shouldalso be placed at the sidewalk edge if the roadway has been raised to the same elevation,as is sometimes done as a traffic calming treatment. the detectable warning surfacecan be wrapped around a flush radius to ensure that blind pedestrians don't miss this importantcue. detectable warnings should generally not be placed at driveways unless the drivewayfunctions as a street , for example -where the driveway movements are signal controlled.detectable warnings are required to contrast visually with adjoining surfaces so they canbe used for guidance by pedestrians with low vision.over the last 30 years, the wheelbases of
our trucks and buses have gotten longer, necessitatinglarger curb radii at some corners. this has greatly reduced the sidewalk area availablefor signs, signal boxes, and pedestrians. where curb radii are large, pedestrians maynot be in the driver's line of vision. in addition, drivers turn at higher speeds; oftenfailing to yield the right of way and intimidating pedestrians. smaller curb radii have trafficcalming effects, slowing driver speeds and giving pedestrians the opportunity to begincrossing before the vehicle turns. a smaller radii also keeps the pedestrian in the driversview and shortens the crossing distance and time. for gary, intersections with smallerradii provide more audible distinction between perpendicular and parallel traffic flows.[music]
[narrator]pedestrians who have vision and mobility impairments are increasingly at a disadvantage as theyleave the sidewalk to cross the street. computerization of traffic operations has allowed substantialincreases in traffic volume by designing maximum vehicle time and space utilization, usuallyat the expense of pedestrians. the simple straightforward street sidewalk grid, with90 degree intersections controlled by fixed-time signaling has been replaced with free lanesfor turning traffic, roundabouts, multi-phased crossings and right turns on red.pedestrians like gary with vision impairments, are at a particular disadvantage when approachingthese intersections due to lack of useful information. they use audible and tactilecues to travel independently, using traffic
sounds to navigate intersections. complex,continuous flow lanes and intersections make it very difficult to determine traffic movementbased on sound. common visual cues that sighted pedestrians use....signals, crosswalks, andcurbs don't provide useful information for gary. drivers are required to yield the rightof way to persons with white canes or service animals, but that rarely happens."walk sign is on, walk sign is on" [narrator]accessible pedestrian signals, with an audible and a tactile component, are needed to makesignalized intersections accessible to those with vision impairments.as the pedestrian begins the transition from the curb to the street to crossing the street,the condition of the road itself becomes an
issue.gutter lips, grates, and drainage problems can be barriers to crossing the street. theeffect of standard surface drainage design on curb ramp usability has not yet been resolvedin street engineering practices; in fact, many features designed to manage water floware problematic to accessibility. drainage and accessibility must be considered togetherfor proper street design. where there is excessive cross slope or warpingof the roadway, it becomes a major barrier to travel. the cross slope of the roadwaybecomes the grade that pedestrians have to traverse. multiple layers of asphaltmay have made the crown very steep. if the roadway is wide, islands may be incorporatedinto the design to provide a refuge from traffic.
unless the island is wide enough to ramp upand down, with a landing in between, islands should be cut through level with the streetand the cut should be at least 6 feet in length. cut throughs should be at least 5 feet widein order for two pedestrians to pass. narrower medians should not be regarded as pedestrianrefuge. therefore signals should be timed to allow for crossing the entire street inone pedestrian crossing cycle. if there is signal activation in the median, space forpedestrian refuge must be provided. detectable warnings must be installed with a gap in themiddle to allow pedestrians with low vision, to understand the nature of the crossing,and recognize a pedestrian refuge area. a minimum 2 foot gap in between detectable warningssurfaces should be provided within the median
cut-through.[music] [narrator]pedestrian signals at street crossings should provide a clear distinction between walk anddon't walk symbols and should have colors identifiable by persons with low vision. evenso, sometimes gary finds it necessary to use the signals on the sidewalk from which heis departing, because pedestrian signals are not distinguishable with his low vision fromacross a 4 lane roadway. a solution here could include an accessible pedestrian signal, oraps, with audible or vibrotactile indicators; increasing its usability.pedestrian push-buttons must be located adjacent to an unobstructed level landing to complywith requirements for clear ground space at
operable parts. a minimum landing size of48" x 48" is recommended to serve both a side and a forward approach. the push button shouldbe within reach range of this clear ground space and mounted at a nominal height of 42inches. this height will normally result in the button being within allowable reach range.if there are obstructions near the button, such as a signal foundation, the engineershould verify that the reach range requirements will be met. you can see that it's importantthat the vibrotactile feature be placed in line with the crosswalk to help users orientproperly. placing each push button near the curb ramp and crossing it serves helps allusers navigate the intersection. another consideration is crossing times. crossingtimes that are based on the old average walking
speed of 4 feet per second will not be sufficientfor pedestrians like tanya, who use crutches. new regulations require the use of a slowerwalk speed and a longer crosswalk length when calculating the duration of the pedestrianphase. solutions to make streets easier to crossinclude programming signals to increase the amount of time allotted for crossing, anddecreasing the distance to be crossed by using smaller curb radii or neck downs and bulbouts . street signs and informational signs needto have adequate character proportion, height, contrast, and a matte or non-glare finish,to be usable by pedestrians with vision impairments. engineers should refer to the manual on uniform trafficcontrol devices, or mutcd, as well as current
accessibility regulations to ensure compliance.if signs protrude more than 4 inches beyond their post, the bottom of the sign must be at least80 inches above the pedestrian path since it is not detectable by cane.accessible pedestrian signals, or aps, communicate information about the walk phase in audibleand vibrotactile formats, in addition to the traditional visual format."beep, beep, beep" by emitting an audible locator tone, pedestriansare alerted that the crosswalk is equipped with an aps. a locator tone also helps theuser identify the push button that activates the crossing interval."beep, beep, beep, first street walk sign is on to cross first street"[narrator]
accessible pedestrian signals can also beequipped with speech technology that announces the street name and the direction of travel.speech technology is not generally required unless there are two accessible pedestriansignals on a corner that cannot be separated by a distance of at least ten feet. researchhas shown that the audible signal is especially useful for those with cognitive impairmentsand older people who have slower reaction times. recorded announcements indicating crossingintervals has been shown to enhance pedestrian safety in general, increasing everyone's awareness,but may be hard to hear with loud ambient noise.the signal controls should be in close proximity to the curb ramp and crosswalk. pedestrianswho are blind should not have to travel more
than a few steps to operate the button andthen return to the curb to orient themselves for the crossing."and that's a perfect example..." [narrator]when a request is made for an accessible pedestrian signal, an engineering study of the intersectionshould be done. the design engineer may wish to visit with the requesting citizen as wellas an orientation and mobility specialist to better refine the signal system designand operation. evaluations that result in a high priority or are associated with a specificrequest should be scheduled to have aps installed. other features that serve pedestrians suchas bus stops and shelters must be accessible. nancy demonstrates a common problem for herin her motorized chair: bus shelters that
don't allow adequate space to maneuver intoenclosures for pedestrians who use wheelchairs. using this shelter forces nancy to traveluncomfortably close to the edge of the sidewalk. bus boarding areas must be a minimum 5 feetby 8 feet, and must be connected to streets, sidewalks, or other pedestrian circulationpaths by an accessible route. accessible on-street parking spaces are bestlocated where the street has the least crown and grade and in close proximity to key destinations.spaces should be distributed throughout the length of the roadway. adjacent sidewalk spaceshould be free of obstructions including curb ramps to permit deployment of a van side-lift.for one-way traffic, it may be necessary to increase the number of access aisles providedor permit backing into the space to locate
the access aisle on the side of the vehiclewhere it will be needed. there may be times when the pedestrian circulationroute is affected by sidewalk repairs, or construction. these work sites contain a numberof conditions that may present potential obstacles and dangers to pedestrians when not cordonedoff from public use. however, a variety of measures can be taken to reduce potentialsafety and access problems at construction sites. most importantly, a continuous pedestrianroute must be maintained at all times. this alternative route must allow pedestrians tobypass the construction without going significantly out of their way. when a temporary route isestablished, it must be accessible. multiple information sources such as signs,audible information, and electronic information
sources should be used to provide advancewarning of a construction site. these information sources should utilize simple and easily understoodgraphics and conform to americans with disabilities act standards for accessible design, tas,texas accessibility standards, and the texas manual of uniform traffic control devices,tmutcd. it's important to make pedestrians aware of the construction site and the changein circulation route before the construction actually begins, so that pedestrians havesufficient time to learn and plan alternate routes to reach their destinations. indicatethe duration of the construction, and the type of work being performed. advance informationmakes it easier for pedestrians to plan an alternate route.continuous barriers that can be detected by
cane must be constructed to prevent pedestriansfrom entering the construction site. flagging tape, ribbon or signs that identify a constructionsite without using detectable barriers is unacceptable.one way to maintain pedestrian traffic through a construction area may be to close off onelane of traffic at the construction site, allowing the outside lane to be used as analternative pedestrian circulation route. it is easier and quicker for vehicles to findan alternate route than pedestrians, especially those with vision or mobility impairments."chairs to your mark, go! chairs are off and running!"[narrator] [music]as we've seen today, designing and building
accessible pedestrian facilities benefitspeople and communities. providing sidewalks, corners, and streets that are usable by allcitizens means everyone is included, and that's what keeps our communities vibrant and diverse.innovative designers can lead the way, by considering accessibility for earlyin project development and designing solutions that serve all users. by working togetherwith city planners, we can ensure that the promise of the ada is fulfilled while at thesame time fostering creativity, utility, and cost efficiency in design and construction.[music]