The New World of Bike Delineators & ADA Compliance
Bike delineators are one solution to keeping bicyclists, pedestrians, and vehicle drivers safe. They need to meet certain requirements in order to serve individuals with disabilities and be ADA compliant.
Bike delineators serve as a buffer between vehicular traffic and bikers, but they can also act as a barrier between pedestrians and the sidewalk. People with disabilities who are being dropped off at a location in an urban setting need easy access to the sidewalk from the road, and bike delineators could make that transition more difficult. Another issue is that trucks that need to unload in urban settings may be unable to access the sidewalk from a loading zone.
One city has designed 20-foot gaps between delineators to allow more space for loading to the curb while still including a visual guide for vehicle drivers to recognize the space as a bike lane. The key is to find a solution so that people unloading from vehicles don’t have to go all the way to a corner of a street to access a sidewalk.
Therefore, designers of bike delineators are suggesting well-designed midblock loading zones with specific paint and reflective markings to warn cyclists of possible unloading and loading of individuals with disabilities or mobility devices.
Bike Delineators, Bike Lanes, & ADA Compliance
When it comes to protected bike lanes and their corresponding bike delineators, it’s vital that these urban additions meet ADA requirements to ensure accessibility. To do that, the US Access Board looks to work with individuals who have visual or mobility impairments on the challenges of on-street accessible parking, public transit platforms, and raised protected bike lanes.
ADA compliant bike delineators and roadways are enforced by the standards set by the US Department of Transportation and the Department of Justice.
On-Street Accessible Parking
For every 25 on-street parking spots in a block perimeter that adds up to 100 spots, one accessible parking spot must be available for individuals with disabilities. The addition of more on-street parking requires more accessible parking spots. More importantly, the accessible parking spots must consider certain logistics to be truly accessible for individuals with impairments to access the sidewalk and nearby accessible entrances.
Bike delineators help protect cyclists from vehicle traffic, but these tools can get in the way of accessible parking spots. And this is in conflict with ADA compliance for both accessible parking spots and protected bike lanes.
One solution to the conflict of accessible parking spots and bike delineators is to place accessible parking spots on the side of the street that is opposite to the bike lane. This ensures that neither will be in the way of the other.
Another proposed solution is that accessible parking spots be placed at the tail end of the block with an extra buffer zone and area where the bike lane would narrow. At this juncture, drivers and cyclists would need to be especially proactive to maintain safety for all travelers.
Bike Delineators
One of the best options for separating pedestrian and cyclist sidewalk-level traffic in university and urban areas are bike delineators. Rather than placing bikers on the street level, they’re being incorporated at the sidewalk level while adding clear separation between pedestrians and cyclists.
Designed for safety and tested extensively, TekWay Trapezoid Delineator Tiles are ideal for separating pedestrians with visual impairments from bikers in bike lanes on the sidewalk level. Perfect for adjacent paths on the same level, these delineators are easily detected by both individuals with low visions and bikers as well.
At StrongGo, we are in the business of creating a more accessible world for all. For us, that means creating durable and reliable options such as the TekWay Trapezoid Delineator Tiles for an urban solution to commuter traffic. Contact us today by emailing csd@stronggo.com.