Designing for Riders With Disabilities Chapter 11— way to determine accessibility is to evaluate the site Funding Sources esigning for Riders or facility to determine whether it complies with Certain laws and guidelines apply if funding is D With Disabilities the accessibility standards in effect when it was provided by government sources, whether as direct constructed or renovated. payment or as grants, or if the program is operating under a permit from a Federal agency. Projects paid Site-Specific Accessibility for with community or State money are subject 11 In the United States 54 million people have Determining which accessibility requirements apply to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). disabilities. That number will increase as the to a situation may be confusing. For each site: Those funded with Federal dollars or operating country’s population ages. By 2030, over 110 million Õ Identify users under a permit issued by a Federal agency fall people will be older than 55, and many will develop Õ Know the funding source under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) and functional disabilities. People who have disabilities Õ Separate trail design from trailhead and camp- Section 504 of the ADA. Both the ABA and ADA recreate with families and friends, increasing the ground design are laws. Accessibility guidelines were developed need to provide facilities and programs where to guide construction of facilities that would everyone can participate. Accessibility requirements Users comply with the laws. The current accessibility need to be considered when designing horse trails, If the public has access, the project must meet guidelines are the Americans with Disabilities Act/ trailheads, or campgrounds. accessibility requirements. The ownership or Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines jurisdiction of the site, facilities, or activities helps (ADA/ABAAG). Numerous laws and guidelines govern this topic, and determine the requirements that apply. The basic the acronyms—ABA, 504, ADA, ADA/ABAAG, and categories are: The ADA/ABAAG focuses on facilities in highly so forth—can be a bit daunting. It is beyond the scope Õ Federal agencies—the National Forest System, developed areas such as cities, towns, and major of this guidebook to define and interpret accessibility National Park Service, Bureau of Land tourist attractions. With the exception of boating requirements in detail, although a brief look at the Management, and so forth facilities and fishing piers and platforms, the ADA/ issues may be helpful. In summary, with very few Õ State, local, and private entities ABAAG doesn’t provide direction for construction or exceptions, all people are to be provided an equal renovation of outdoor developed recreation areas or opportunity to participate in programs that are offered, If the recreation opportunity is solely for private trails designed for hikers and pedestrians. and new or renovated facilities are to be accessible. or religious use, and the public will never have Refer to Appendix F—Summary of Accessibility access—not even once a year at a fundraiser—and Because there were no accessibility guidelines Legislation, Standards, and Guidelines for an the opportunity takes place entirely on privately for outdoor recreation areas, the Forest Service overview of accessibility laws, related guidelines, and owned land, the trail or facility may not have to meet developed its own guidelines. The Forest Service standards. Sites, facilities, and programs are accessible accessibility requirements. This guidebook doesn’t Outdoor Recreation Accessibility Guidelines or they are not—there is no middle ground. The only address such situations. (FSORAG) and the Forest Service Trail Accessibility 213 Designing for Riders With Disabilities Guidelines (FSTAG) are detailed accessibility Table 11–1—Quick guide for applying accessibility standards and guidelines to facilities. guidelines that apply to developed recreation sites ABA FSORAG FSTAG and hiker and pedestrian trails within the National Accessibility Standard (Apply only within National (Apply only within National Forest Forest System. Both the FSORAG and the FSTAG Forest System boundaries) System boundaries) are based on draft accessibility guidelines for Buildings, boating, and fishing Recreation site features Hiker/pedestrian trails 11 outdoor recreation areas created by a committee All buildings, including: New or reconstructed: New or altered trails that are: of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Õ Administrative offices Õ Picnic areas Õ Designed for hiker/pedestrian use Compliance Board (Access Board). The Forest Õ Residences Õ Fire rings Õ Crew quarters Õ Grills and Service guidelines recognize the realities of Õ Visitor centers Õ Wood stoves the outdoors and allow exceptions for certain Õ Entrance stations Õ Benches Õ That connect either directly to a trailhead circumstances. While the FSORAG and FSTAG Õ Parking lots Õ Picnic tables Õ Cooking surfaces or only have to be followed within National Forest And including components, such as: Õ Pedestal grills System boundaries, the guidelines may prove useful Õ Fireplaces Õ Connect to a currently accessible trail for others who are planning and designing outdoor Õ Restrooms with and without Õ Beach access water Õ Outdoor recreation access recreation projects. Õ Workstations routes Õ Doors Õ Camping units (eating and Pathway and Trail Designs Õ Operating controls (door handles, cooking areas, parking spurs, faucet controls, thermostats, and platforms, tent pads) Facilities at trailheads and campgrounds, including so forth) Õ Campground utility connections toilet buildings and parking areas, must be accessible. Õ Water hydrants and drinking Pathways within such areas and those that lead Boating and fishing facilities, fountains including: Õ Outdoor rinsing showers to trailheads and interpretive sites also must be Õ Remote-area pit toilets accessible. The FSORAG addresses the accessibility Õ Boating facilities Õ Trash/recycling containers Õ Docks Õ Viewing areas and overlooks of camp and picnic units, picnic tables, grills, and Õ Fishing piers and platforms Õ Telescopes and periscopes so forth at Forest Service recreation sites. The Õ Mobility device storage FSORAG also covers pedestrian routes from camp Õ Warming huts units to toilet buildings and parking areas as well as —Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails (Zeller and others 2006). the pathways or outdoor recreation access routes (ORARs) that connect these outdoor recreation facilities. Table 11–1 is a quick reference for applying accessibility standards and guidelines to facilities. 214 Designing for Riders With Disabilities Accessibility of trails that are not in developed Õ The trail has a designed use of hiker and Universal Design recreation sites needs closer examination. Trails pedestrian, in accordance with the Interagency The best way to integrate accessibility is to use the are designed to address the use for which the trail Trail Data Standards, and principles of universal design. Universal design is designated, the trail’s designed use. For example, Õ The trail is new or being altered because of a focuses on building for everyone while conforming trails designed for trail stock and riders have higher change in the original trail purpose, and to accessibility standards. Simply put, universal and wider clearance and softer tread surfaces than Õ The trail connects either directly to a trailhead or design means designing programs and facilities to 11 bicycle trails. While trails may be managed for to a currently accessible trail. include all people to the greatest extent possible, multiple uses, each trail only has one designed use. without separate or segregated access for people The FSTAG, which addresses recreation trails, only Federal accessibility legislation does not apply to with disabilities. The classic example of universal applies to trails that meet all three of the following trails exclusively designed for horse use. design is constructing a single at-grade entrance to a conditions: structure rather than steps and accessible ramps. A well-designed, universally accessible recreation facility does not stand out as being different from Resource Roundup other sites. It also has more opportunities that are Firm and Stable Surfaces While this method for determining firmness and available for a broader range of public use. To be accessible, facilities must have a firm and stability is not scientifically accurate, it has proven stable surface. What sort of surface is firm and to be effective. The Forest Service’s policy of universal design stable? In general, if the answer to both of the requires complete integration of accessibility within following questions is yes, the surface is probably In the late 1990s, the Access Board funded an Forest Service facilities. Because the Forest Service firm and stable. Accessible Exterior Surfaces research project has had an accessibility policy since the early 1990s, Õ Could a person ride a narrow-tired bicycle across conducted by Beneficial Designs, Inc., of Minden, its facilities, programs, and associated elements the surface easily without making ruts? (The NV. Results of the study are available from the often exceed the minimum requirements of Federal bicycle tires are similar to large rear wheels of a Access Board at http://www.access-board.gov/ accessibility guidelines. wheelchair.) research/Exterior%20Surfaces/exteriorsarticle. Õ Could a folding stroller with small, narrow htm or