*
Hi,
I’m a middle school teacher in the process of creating an outdoor sculpture garden on the school property. I’m teaching my students the design and construction aspects of building this. It’s a fairly large plot of land 37.5 ft x 27 ft (oval) and will include a small pond.
One of my students is in a wheelchair, and we realized we would need accessability for him. How should we build paths for access?
I was originally planning on using paving stones in a path approximately 6in apart from each other. Now I’m afraid I’ll have to lay a brick walkway, or pour one, neither task I’ld want to undertake with ten 12-15 yr olds.
Any help would be great.
thanks.
-mikez
Replies
*
go with your pavers but reduce the spacing to say one inch.. watch your ramps.. try to keep them at 1 in 20...
borrow a wheel chair and spend a couple hours in it.. have the students do the same so you can all appreciate the design considerations....
have fun..it should make the project twice as rewarding
*We are just finishing a remodel on a home so that it complies with ADA standards and can be rezoned commercial. One of the things we are dealing with is a ramp from an elevated parking area, so I have a few things in my head, but you should really contact a local architect, and have her make a copy of the ADA guidlines - pretty straight forward, but very specific. For example: regarding ramps - incline will not exceed 1 in 12. Incline can be 1 in 10 for a certain distance. There is a limit on how far any straight incline can go before you need a level landing (for resting) then it can continue. Any change in direction (like a switchback) requires a 60" square + level landing. There must be a 2"tall curb along each side of the ramp. There must be a handrail. And on, and on, and on. Of course, there are exceptions to all these rules, too. And they are spelled out sort of clearly in the ADA booklet, if you're good at getting information from printed page that is. The last meeting I had with the Architect, he's reading along, trying to decypher the code, and I say "hey, wait a second, what the heck does THAT mean?" He says, "I'm not sure, here, see if it's clearer when you read it yourself." It wasn't. One other thing. It's none of my business, but I think you are exposing yourself and your employer to a huge liability if you build something on public ground like that, and someone gets hurt on it. You could get your ass in a sling real fast.
*The idea of you and your students experiencing a wheel chair is a good one. Hands on training for the common sense approach to accessability. Couple that with the ADA guidelines and you are on your way. Consider a compacted stone walk with a curb to keep the wheels on track. Curb could be perhaps wood, pavers or brick, or maybe a flexible product like rubber plastic or metal. Proper drainage with a well compacted stone should pass inspection but then again, that's only a opinion. And do check with the school as far as liability. Achieving accessability need not be out of you skill levels or pocketbook. Best of luck.
*Mikez,Ask the student in wheelchair. Here is ADA http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htmKK
*
As far as laying a path with pavers, my student suggested keeping the pavers 3 inches apart for horizontal spacing, but this still brings up the problem of vertical spacing between stones. I like the idea of a compact stone walk, but I don't know anything about the process. Where can I find how-to info on installing one?
I've been fully aware of the liability issue, and it looks like we won't be having a pond, but we'll still have a large garden with a few paths going through it.
Thank you everyone for your help and advice.
-mikez
*Hi,My student in the wheelchair is actively involved in the design process of this garden. I'm using him as my first source for accessibility information. Thanks for the ADA link.-mikez
*
I have a message posted for you at Plot Notes, don't know if you are checking there or not, about raised beds and stuff for wc. accessable gardens. Please don't forget about those of us who are not all that handy! Hope your project goes well, this is an interesting subject.
*mikez,On that compacted stone walk, you'll need to find out what's available where you are. Some folks have used "crushed berm" which can be almost concrete like when compacted. Others used a crumb mix of crushed berm and crushed brick. The granules are bigger than sand and smaller than fine gravel. When compacted, they do not move around but lock together. Maybe ask around and see what they use on the warning track at a major league park. Matter of fact, if you're located near one, ask them to donate the material and maybe provide the labor leader. You'll need something that will withstand the wheel of the chair. Rails to Trails also use a base similar and maybe if there's one of those close, you could get a good tip. Proper drainage, containment of the base and a good vibrating compacter (kind of like a heavy lawn mower with a smooth steel base that you go over and over the stone with)I think will do you right. Best of luck.
*
ADA will not permit 3" between pavers. The wheels would get stuck between the pavers, with potential for causing the chair to tip over. Compacted material sounds as if it would be ideal, and maybe economical.
As for the architect who could not understand the ADA, he needs to take either a BOMA ADA course or an AIA ADA course. Sounds as if he went to one of the schools that concentrate on design rather than construction. Here in Texas, they joke about A&M (Aggies) and Texas Tech, but both schools turn out architects that actually know how a building goes together, unlike so many of them from UTA.
*
Hi,
I'm a middle school teacher in the process of creating an outdoor sculpture garden on the school property. I'm teaching my students the design and construction aspects of building this. It's a fairly large plot of land 37.5 ft x 27 ft (oval) and will include a small pond.
One of my students is in a wheelchair, and we realized we would need accessability for him. How should we build paths for access?
I was originally planning on using paving stones in a path approximately 6in apart from each other. Now I'm afraid I'll have to lay a brick walkway, or pour one, neither task I'ld want to undertake with ten 12-15 yr olds.
Any help would be great.
thanks.
-mikez