ADA Curb Ramp Requirements

  • 16.04.2020
  • 2,511 views

ADA CURB RAMPS – What You Need To Know

There are few non-compliant ADA problems that are as easy to spot as an incorrect curb ramp.  When built incorrectly, they not only pose a serious risk for disabled people attempting to access a commercial building, but they are “low hanging fruit” for serial litigants, looking to sue your property.  In fact, they can be spotted from Google Earth without somebody looking to sue your property from ever leaving their house!

For reference, here is a picture of a compliant curb ramp:

ADA curb ramp with handicap parking compliant markings

But after inspecting thousands of parking lots, unfortunately, compliant ADA curb ramps are few and far between.  For every correctly built curb ramp we inspect, we see hundreds of incorrect ones, such as this:

Non-compliant disabled parking curb ramp, violating standards

There are a few reasons for such rampant incorrect curb ramps.  One reason is many contractors opt for what are called “built-up curb ramps.”  But the problem is built-up curb ramps are nearly impossible to make ADA compliant.  They are also easy to spot and pose serious risks for disabled people as their landings are just too steep to be safely used.  This information is well-known by serial litigants who can use them to justify an ADA lawsuit. https://www.youtube.com/embed//8SHrFbBvnGo

If you have any questions about whether your curb ramps are correct, please give us a call.  We are always happy to hop on the phone to discuss your property and help keep you protected from an ADA lawsuit.

While your physical location is crucial to ensure access to all, digital accessibility is equally important. VPAT compliance is the ultimate way to ensure your digital properties are accessible, especially if your business works with any government entity. ADACP can conduct accessibility audits on your digital assets and document our findings with a VPAT, which is what many of your clients will insist on. A report on VPAT is very beneficial for accessibility certification.

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