Ramps seem like just another mundane part of the paved portions of our environments. However, a ramp is extremely important to people with limited mobility, physical disabilities, and injuries. Read on to learn all about ramps and their important place in paving.
The Ramp, A Paving Necessity
Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act almost 30 years ago in order to make life more accessible to people with disabilities in America. As regulations concerning accessibility shift and expand, the rules get confusing.
As frustrating as the regulations and restrictions seem, it is important to keep in mind what the ramp is there for. Accessibility creates opportunity, and ramps are one of the most important parts of geographical accessibility. Without ramps, people would require assistance just to get out of parking lots, let alone into a building or venue. Ramps are how people on crutches, in wheelchairs, and with limited mobility access certain places without stairs.
What Are Ramps Made Of?
Traditionally, ramps are made of whatever material the rest of the building project I made of. It would be strange to pour in concrete everywhere then make a ramp of asphalt or vice versa.
However, the exact mixture necessary for a ramp changes based on region. This is due to widely varying climates: icy and cold, rainy, sunny. All of those elements impact the surface of the ramp and how easy it is to use.
Asphalt professionals change composition to make the ramps more usable. It would be pretty horrible for someone who already struggles with walking to slip and fall on an icy ramp.
The Numbers
The ADA has specific numbers that they require for the slope of ramps and surrounding areas. From our friends at The Asphalt Pro.
“The slope of the ramp run shouldn’t exceed 8.3 percent for new construction built after Jan. 26, 1991. For alterations made after that date, the slope should be 10 percent or less for a 6-inch rise or 12.5 percent or less for a 3-inch rise. There are also rules regarding slope across the width of the ramp—the cross slope—which may not exceed 2 percent.”
The ADA also specifies how the area before and after ramps must slope, as well as ramp location.
Ramps must not stick out anywhere that vehicles are meant to be driving. Not only does this arrangement cause traffic issues, it endangers anybody using the ramp. Additionally, a ramp cannot be located anywhere that a vehicle may block it. Again, it would be impossible to use in that situation.
Additional Ramp Elements
ADA compliant ramps need to have sloped sides or some sort of railing. This is to prevent people off the ramp from slipping or falling onto it and vice versa.
For the visually impaired, ramps must have strips of bumpy material at the bottom. The material, which feels different from paving, alerts people with vision issues where the ramp is.
