Jonathan Hodel - President
ADA compliance is a big issue these days, with many agencies struggling to find resources to address their compliance issues. First and foremost, it is necessary to complete a site assessment of the existing conditions to determine areas that are out of compliance. Once an assessment has been completed, the agency can determine the best course of action to correct non-compliant areas. Rather than hide from the ‘bad areas’ and hope that nothing happens, it is best to take a proactive approach by assessing the current conditions to determine what correction is needed. Even if all areas cannot be corrected immediately due to funding restrictions, an agency that is taking proactive steps in planning for future replacement projects will be regarded as on-track and looked upon favorably. As in most cases, taking steps to plan ahead today will save time and money in the long run. Whether your organization is privately owned or a public entity, such as a municipality or college campus, ADA compliance must be provided for areas that are open to the public or on public right-of-way. For purposes of this article, the focus will be on ADA compliance for pedestrian facilities including sidewalks, parking spaces, curb ramps, and building entrances.
Field staff performing manual measurements for onsite ADA site assessment survey
Digital levels are an important tool for ADA compliance and verifying results of LiDAR data
Performing an onsite ADA assessment survey consists of taking detailed measurements of pedestrian pathways from the parking space to the building by establishing accessible routes. When a walk, pathway, or pedestrian route is necessary to provide public access to a program, service, or activity, an accessible route must be provided. An accessible route is an unobstructed pedestrian path that connects accessible elements and spaces such as accessible parking spaces, accessible entrances, accessible meeting rooms, accessible toilet rooms, etc. It can be a walkway, hallway, part of a courtyard, or other pedestrian space. An accessible route must be at least 36 inches wide, have no abrupt vertical changes in level (such as a step), have a running slope no more than 1:12 in most cases, and meet other requirements for cross slope, surface conditions, vertical height, and passing spaces. The width of an accessible route can be as narrow as 32 inches wide, such as at a doorway or a narrow section of hallway, but only for a distance up to 24 inches long.
Field staff performing LiDAR collection for ADA assessment with SLAM scanning technology
These detailed measurements can require a significant amount of time and effort to collect in the field if done by hand. However, using GIS technology and LiDAR for capturing these measurements can save money and improve accuracy. For example, trying to pinpoint these locations using pen and a paper map can prove to be time consuming, inefficient, and inaccurate, but using mobile devices to collect GPS location and gather measurements associated with slope, horizontal and vertical clearances, and other features streamlines the process. Additionally, the user can attach photos of these issues directly to the point on the map. Taking the technology one step further introduces us to mobile LiDAR. LiDAR uses thousands of laser pulses per second to measure distances over a wide area. The result is a point cloud file that allows technicians to take precise measurements of any area including slope, elevation, and distances.
Results of LiDAR scan processed to show variations in sidewalk slopes
The point cloud data can be processed for variations and non-compliant areas, such as the image below, which shows non-compliant slope areas of both sidewalks and parking spaces. The points were collected in a matter of minutes and processed using ArcGIS desktop software to obtain quick and actionable results. From my observations and experiences with this technology, LiDAR is poised to revolutionize the way we gather site information for evaluating ADA compliance. This technology is being widely adopted for use in all types of applications in the fields of engineering, surveying and construction.
More details on this process of using LiDAR for ADA assessments can be found in this recent webinar.
Cloudpoint Geospatial’s purpose is to deliver high quality services and solutions that enable organizations to make informed, data-driven decisions with spatial data. This includes providing onsite ADA site assessments for local governments, private and non-profit campuses. Contact our professionals today at 877-377-8124 to learn more about the process or to discuss pricing.
Additional resources:
Using LiDAR with GIS for ADA Site Assessments
ADA.gov website (link to the new site on homepage)
ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities
ADA and City Governments: Common Problems