NewUrbanStreets

Sharring experiences in urban infrastructure delivery.
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Parking Configurations for a Person with Disabilities

May 07, 2012 By: Tom Davis Category: Parking

rI was sent a very insightful email with reasons why one parking configuration, angle-in, has advantages to those with disabilities over the more common parallel style. Everyone that works on improving the streets and street scape struggle with getting the required slopes, widths and surface textures in the right places. We also include handicap parking spaces where we can and too often it is a parallel space adapted to meet the dimensions.  When I received an email with the pros and cons for a parking style I realized after all these years I still did not totally anticipate the experience of a person with disabilities. I offer it here as I believe it may help others. (more…)

Wheel Chair Ramps–Painting Issues

May 17, 2011 By: Tom Davis Category: Sidewalk Features, Special Surfaces

If you ever tried painting concrete in the sidewalk setting then you likely have had similar results as we have: i.e. not good. Paint does not adhere to the concrete particularly when it is grooved as ramps must be.Painted conc ramp.JPG

I am always surprised when engineers give in to the vendors’ plea to “trust us, this is different and we stand behind it”.  They stand behind it provided you can prove it was installed in the ideal temperature and humidity range they recommend and then only for the one-year warranty.  In short, the ramps in only a few years look like these photos.

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Accessibility During Construction

September 18, 2010 By: Tom Davis Category: Project Communication, Project Mngt., Recent Posts, Signage

DCP_0465.JPG

Many of us take for granted that when sidewalks are being rebuilt, or the adjacent street is missing and part of the sidewalk is blocked, we see the sidewalk closure ahead and go to the other side or around the block. We grumble about the detour but it is not a big deal. For someone with limited or no sight, or someone in a hand-powered wheel chair, the detour is more significant.

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Another Innovative Access Solution & Street Reconstruction Challenges

December 28, 2009 By: Tom Davis Category: Sidewalk Features

Preface – This is a follow-up to an earlier post about unusual solutions to provide accessible pedestrian pathways to crosswalks at intersections. What creates the need for these solutions is the difference in the existing grades of the adjacent buildings and the street–even if the street is being completely rebuilt.

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At Bell and San Jacinto Streets is an innovative solution to provide access from each approaching sidewalk to the crosswalks and around the corner while not exposing the building’s foundation.SanJac at Bell2.jpg The handrails make the sidewalk appear cluttered but are necessary from a practical perspective and to comply with TDLR–the State of Texas agency with accessibility requirements that are more demanding than ADA. (more…)

Access Ramp Problems Solved

August 26, 2009 By: Tom Davis Category: Misc Urban Infrastructure, Sidewalk Features

Anyone who rebuilds a street and sidewalk has faced the issue of making the new installation meet the ADA requirements for accessibility.At Milam and Congress Street Intersection The challenges are not exceeding the maximum slopes at the crosswalks and entries into buildings while also meeting the elevation of cross-streets and making sure the gutter slopes are adequate so the area drains to the inlets. (more…)