October 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 50

OPERATIONS
ADA Construction: Best
Practices and Lessons Learned
By Gary Logue
H
aving worked as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
coordinator for the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) for
the past 19 years, I can attest that one of our biggest challenges
in both the indoor and outdoor environments has been the
ability to ensure 100 percent compliance with ADA standards. With more
than 400 facilities, 24,000 acres of parkland and 1,145,670 customers at last
count, here's what I have found to be best practices.
Standards vs. Guidelines
There's always that project manager
who thinks, for example, " We
don't have to follow the trail accessibility
guidelines because they
are not required. " While there's an
inkling of truth to that statement,
remember all guidelines eventually
become standards after adoption.
Not only does this mindset save
you money in the long run versus
having to come back and retrofit
for compliance down the road, but
also by following the guidelines you
are meeting the spirit of the law by
ensuring persons with disabilities
can participate in your programs
and services. In addition, why risk
the negative publicity? Use the latest
guidelines to level the playing
field, which is your ultimate goal!
Planning
Identifying all of the applicable
ADA standards and guidelines in
a renovation or new construction
is paramount to getting it right the
first time. Dedicate a page or two
of your plans to those ADA components
and detail those standards
to help ensure your contractor and
project manager are clear on those
expectations.
When making renovations,
at
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a minimum and unless all your
ADA obligations
are satisfied,
you should spend 20 percent of
your project budget on accessibility
needs. Starting outside in, think
logically and prioritize:
* Is the accessible parking compliant?
* Is the route to the facility accessible?
*
Is the restroom inside compliant?
* Are there both a high and low
water fountain?
* Would we be better served by an
automatic door opener in the lobby
or one for accessing the restroom?
Quality Assurance
Both during construction and after,
someone should be checking the
work for quality assurance. Below
are some suggestions for producing
a successful project outcome.
* Checklists are excellent tools for
guidance and documentation
and can be found at the New
England ADA Center website
(tinyurl.com/53t5xn38).
* For accessible routes, it is critical
to communicate with your
contractor to ensure your base
coat (prior to your concrete/
asphalt finish) will meet expectations
for a slope with an absolute
maximum base grade of 4.5
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
percent and cross slope of 1.5
percent. The standard for assessing
accessible routes is to break
the route into four-foot sections
(if using a four-foot level), then
cut the route in half lengthwise
and measure each section into a
consistent number of rectangular
sections, determining both slope
and cross slope. Total your readings
and then figure the average
by dividing the number of readings
documented.
* For accessible parking, ensuring
a 2 percent slope in all directions
is critical for achieving usability.
If your parking space is in a
gravel parking lot, ensure there
is periodic maintenance performed
to sweep the gravel off
the space. The standard for measuring
accessible parking spaces
is to break the space into nine
squares, again measuring both
slope and cross slope for each. To
determine compliance, total your
slope readings and then divide by
9 to get your overall slope score.
* Ensure your maintenance staff
are checking the opening force of
your interior doors monthly. Five
pounds of pressure or less is critical
for ensuring seamless usability.
* Use your resources! The MidAtlantic
ADA Information Center
has been an invaluable resource
over the years (adainfo.org).
The experience here at FCPA
has been overwhelmingly positive
thanks to staff support and
a healthy allocation of resources.
While 100 percent compliance
is still a ways down the road, we
have built a solid foundation for the
future.
Gary Logue is ADA Coordinator
for Fairfax County Park Authority
(gary.logue@fairfaxcounty.gov).
http://www.adainfo.org http://www.tinyurl.com/53t5xn38
October 2021 - Parks & Recreation

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