First and foremost, detectable warning tiles and surfaces were designed to assist individuals with disabilities to safely navigate public spaces, and then, in 1991, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandated the use of detectable warning tiles in public areas throughout the United States.

Individuals with disabilities must navigate a world designed for people with vision and mobility, and one tool that helps to make the world more accessible is navigational bar tiles. These directional tile surfaces consist of raised bars that align with the direction of pedestrian travel. These navigational directional bar tiles help people to locate the entrance to light rails, trains, and bus stops.

A companion to detectable warning tiles, navigational and directional bar tiles serve an essential purpose of guiding individuals with disabilities in the flow of traffic.

For the urban landscape, sidewalks have become a type of no man’s land for city commuters — not only for pedestrians but also for cyclists. Since vehicles rule the road, pedestrians and cyclists are at-risk anytime they walk or ride in the road. To remain safe, city cyclists and pedestrians often turn to the sidewalk. 

While many cities want their residents and commuters to move away from using cars and encourage bicycling, pedestrians in some cases see this shift as dangerous.

The Americans with Disabilities Act provides a guideline for how companies and public spaces can be made accessible for individuals with disabilities. While most of the standards focus on building design and public area accessibility, the ADA offers information on the best practices for ADA compliant flooring. When planning your flooring project, consider the specifications for floor and ground, including surface characteristics and carpeting.

Private accessible transportation refers to transportation that caters to individuals with impairments. While not necessarily in the public sector, private transportation includes volunteer driver programs, para-transit services, and ride-shares which must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Public transportation offers independence to individuals with low vision, providing opportunities for community involvement, job commute, and so much more. While public transportation offers independence, it can be difficult for individuals with low vision to navigate the transportation system. Any public transportation can be complicated to use--from finding the right route, boarding the correct bus, and exiting at the right stop.

While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines a set of standards for accommodating the needs of individuals with disabilities, ADA compliance is something that benefits everyone. When our businesses, neighborhoods, and local government agencies work to be considerate of individuals with differing needs, our inclusive community provides the space to recognize the unique gifts and perspectives that these individuals can offer.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines how to provide accessible public transportation to individuals with disabilities and mobility issues. While ADA offers the guidelines and rules for transportation, it’s the U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates public transportation.

A few weeks ago, we talked about the importance of ADA compliance for a temporary event. Meeting U.S. government standards for a public area can be challenging in general, but a temporary event that is open to the public provides its own hurdles to overcome. ADA compliance at a temporary event can be difficult, but compliance is worth the work to create a more accessible world. 

For sidewalks and now websites, color ADA compliance ensures that people with low vision are able to see a clear contrast for viewing information. While the government requires a certain standard for public areas and websites, color ADA compliance is important for more reasons than just government conformity.