ADA CONCRETE RAMP SYSTEM
I was asked by a contractor to submit designs for a ramp system to him for a bid proposal he was working on. He asked for one ramp design to comply with ADA requirements, but I decided to give him 4 designs for the client to choose from.
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Some of the design challenges were:
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1. There is a 3-4 ft gap beneath the current concrete steps going up to the entrance with a retaining wall to a basement entrance on both sides.
2. Two wide wall/handrails flank both sides of the existing steps which the client wanted to keep.
3. Both sides of the entrance were confined by ramps and stairs going down to a basement entrance on each side.
4. It needed a designated ADA parking spot
Any chance to repurpose very valuable materials that have to be removed is a gift to a designer. In this case, the existing steps were thick, black granite planks about 11”x 8” each and various lengths.
I decided to have them carefully removed and used as part of the new planter area centered prominently in the front of each design.
Another requirement for me is to not have the egress for the ramp to be too far out of the way for anyone using it. In a few cases, the egress was determined by the location of the new ADA van parking spot. The steps were easily accessible and convenient in each design.