ADA ACCESS GUIDELINES IN REVIEW
Guidelines in final review stage with U.S. Access Board
A set of approved Accessibility Guidelines were issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990, with the most recent revision coming in September of 2002. The ADA's Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) cover the construction and alteration of facilities in the private sector (places of public accommodation and commercial facilities) and the public sector (state and local government facilities). The accessibility guidelines issued under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) primarily address facilities in the Federal sector and others designed, built, altered, or leased with Federal funds.
A new proposed revision to ADAAG is in the final stages of being updated by the United States Access Board. In December of 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice submitted a notice to update its ADA standards for administration review. The guidelines under both laws are being updated together in one rule that contains three parts: a document for ADA facilities, a document for ABA facilities, and a common set of technical criteria.
As a result, the requirements for both ADA and ABA facilities will be made more consistent under a new organizational format that is intended to be more understandable. The new guidelines will affect the path of travel, parking, restrooms and life safety elements of both existing and new construction and may have an impact on an existing facility's compliance status.
If approved within typical timeframes, the notice may be published for public comment in April 2008. However, our clients should note that no firm adoption date for the newly revised ADAAG has been established at this time. The Department of Justice will issue a final notice to complete action, which will include an effective date for the updated standards.
Until that date, existing standards remain in effect for all facilities other than transportation facilities which are covered by previously updated standards.
For further information, please contact one of the professionals below:
ATLANTA
Brian Devine
404-812-0001 |
CHICAGO
David Pasquinelli
312-541-4200 |
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