Yellow Sidewalk Bumps

Detectable warning surfaces are unique, textured tiles that inform pedestrians they are nearing a potentially dangerous area. They are the bumpy, often yellow tiles that line the curbs of public roads and the edges of subway platforms. These surfaces guide the visually impaired along a safe path and provide a textured walkway for good traction.

Tactile panels can be made from a variety of materials. ADA Solutions’ tactile warning surface tiles are crafted from a reinforced fiberglass, carbon, and homogeneous glass composite material for superior durability. Our tiles are also manufactured in a variety of colors for different applications and visual contrast needs. They are specially designed to conform with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Tactile Warning Surfaces Can Be Life-Saving

Because visually impaired people cannot see potential hazards as a sighted person can, the unique texture of a detectable warning surface provides the physical feedback that their eyes cannot. ADA tactile paving tiles also save lives by providing a slip-resistant surface. This makes it safer to enter the street, stroll down the sidewalk, or use public transportation.

At one time, the height difference between roadways and curbs was more pronounced, giving impaired pedestrians a strong indication of where it was safe to walk. Many curbs have now been lowered significantly, in large part to reduce the tripping hazard posed by tall curbs. However, this has made it more difficult for the visually impaired to determine where the edge of the roadway begins.

For people with disabilities, it can be dangerous to leave the sidewalk and enter the roadway to cross the street. This new hazard makes using detectable warning tiles more important than ever.

Meeting Accessibility Guidelines for Public Safety

Tactile paving texture

The guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are intended to make public and private spaces safer and more accessible for those with physical and mental challenges. In addition to keeping people safe, these guidelines protect you as a property owner from costly accident lawsuits.

ADA accessibility guidelines require that all transition areas (e.g., curb ramps, pedestrian crossings) have textured warning surfaces that can be felt through the soles of most types of shoes. In addition, the color of these surfaces must contrast sufficiently with the surroundings to ensure they can be easily seen by those with partial sight.

ADA Solutions’ detectable warning tiles feature easy-to-feel truncated domes and high-contrast color options that meet ADA and U.S. Access Board guidelines. These truncated domes, or ADA sidewalk bumps, protect pedestrians and comply with all applicable legal requirements. The yellow bumps are easy to detect under footwear but do not create a tripping hazard. They can endure years of foot traffic without becoming worn or damaged.

Find Durable, High-Quality Tactile Warning Tiles at ADA Solutions

Whether you need to update an old property to meet legal accessibility requirements or simply want to replace old, worn surfaces with new tactile pavers, ADA Solutions can help. Our durable, slip-resistant tiles are available in cast-in-place, surface applied, and replaceable options to suit any customer need.

For more than twenty years, ADA Solutions has been a leading manufacturer of high-quality detectable warning surfaces. To date, we have installed over 65 million square feet of these surfaces. They are built to last in all weather conditions. They are also easy to install and replace—just follow our directions, and they will soon be ready for use.

Browse our product selection online or call us at (844) 339-5967 for a free quote.

Blind floor tiles on train station platform

Whether you have a new construction project or a retrofitting project, selecting the appropriate detectable warning surfaces is important. You need to ensure you are compliant with the current ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.1 Since the ADA first went into effect in 1991, there have been several changes, and it is your responsibility to verify the current requirements.

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The city is a jumble of access ramps, train platforms, bus stops, sidewalks, curbs, and intersections. While a non-disabled person finds these challenges pretty easy to navigate and deal with, for people with disabilities and visual impairments, this can be more of a struggle. So much so, moving around a big city could truly be a hazardous experience.

People with visual impairments and disabilities need additional help to ensure their safety while navigating through the busy city streets, sidewalks, subway and rail platforms, bus stops, and so on. To help ensure people with disabilities get that help, the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates certain measures to make accessing different areas easier and more accessible to everyone.

One such requirement is the installation of detectable warning panels in the surface area of sidewalks to serve as a warning for upcoming dangerous changes. These changes could be a busy intersection, a ramp, an edge of a platform, curbs, or steps. The warning panels help to keep everyone safe, including people without visual impairments or disabilities.

For instance, many people walk around these days looking down at their smartphones. This leads to distractions that could result in their walking out into a busy street, off a curb, or, worse, falling off a rail platform down onto the tracks. Luckily, the change in the dome surface can be felt and alerts people to potential dangers and hazards.

Detectable warning systems are essentially a “stop sign” to let people know they need to do something. The raised surfaces on the warning panels are designed to be detected by a walking cane as well as be able to be felt through the soles of boots and shoes. People might need to stop and prepare to cross a busy street or wait for their train. It could also indicate the need to look up from your smartphone to see what attention is required.

Even though detectable warning systems are great, you also have to consider lower light conditions and situations that could result in complete darkness. While visually impaired people will still be able to easily navigate using the tactile surfaces, non-visually impaired people will be the ones at a disadvantage.

Detectable Warning Panels

This is where our Glow-Dome™ product can help. Glow-Dome™ panels do not rely on any power source and are charged by ambient light. They provide emergency visual cues in reduced or no light situations. The panels can be integrated into tactile warning systems to help provide a distinct visual cue. They are offered in retrofit transit, paver, and replaceable tile options.

In addition, certain building codes and regulations could require the use of photoluminescent tiles to help mark the path to exits during emergencies, reduced or no-light conditions, and other such situations.

  • Fun Fact: Glow-Dome™ panels can help you earn LEED credits toward earning a green building rating.

To learn more about detectable warning tiles, tactile warning systems, and Glow-Dome™ panels, please feel free to contact ADA Solutions at (800) 372-0519 today!

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Blind pedestrian walking on tactile paving

ADA Solutions’ truncated domes are a type of detectable warning solution used in schools, airports, and mass transit environments. This special raised surface has small raised round sections, which non-visually impaired people and children sometimes say look like Lego® blocks that have been “snapped” into the ground.

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Have you ever wondered what purpose those raised truncated domes served when placed at busy intersections or along the edge of subway and train platforms? Aside from providing visual cues to non-visually impaired people that they need to take caution in this location, the raised bumps help provide non-visual cues to people who have problems seeing.

They could have reduced vision, be considered legally blind, or have other vision problems relating to depth perception. When they “feel” the raised bumps on the surface, it alerts them that they need to take precautions beyond the end of the raised domes.

Detectable warning surfaces are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, depending on where they will be installed. In addition, they are offered in a wide array of different colors. Most people are familiar with the bright-yellow-colored warning surfaces since this is one of the most used colors.

Yet, you may have encountered tactile surfaces that are blue, red, black, white, or a combination of two or more colors. There are even graphic-style warning surfaces that could feature a company’s brand name, logo, or other such advertisements.

Why Are There Different Colors?

stop-and-walk-sign

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) does not have a set color requirement for tactile raised warning systems. According to Section 705.1.3 of the ADA, it states the following in regards to color:

“Detectable warning surfaces shall contrast visually with adjacent walking surfaces either light-on-dark or dark-on-light.1

What this means is that municipalities, businesses, and other parties are responsible for ensuring tactile warning surfaces are installed where required by federal laws, and that they are essentially free to choose any color or combination of colors they desire, so long as the colors contrast with the surrounding surfaces.

To illustrate, a local community is building a new park that has a sidewalk around its perimeter which serves as a crosswalk at busy intersections. The streets and sidewalks are made of light-colored cement.

At each intersection, the color of the warning surfaces should be a dark color to contrast with the light cement. The local community could decide to use the traditional yellow or opt for a dark red, blue, or some other color if they so desired.

yellow-detectable-warning-system

However, before you start ordering new colors for the tactile dome surfaces you are responsible for, you do need to check your state’s regulations and requirements. Some states like California, have adapted their own specific regulations and requirements in regards to color. In California, the state’s regulations allow for the use of yellow-colored warning surfaces.

If the warning surfaces you are responsible for are in California, then yellow is currently the only color you are allowed to use with a few exceptions. For example, you might be allowed to add white text or an image to the surface, such as the wheelchair used for handicap accessible parking spaces.

However, it is your responsibility to ensure this is allowed in the locations where you are going to be installing new or replacing existing warning surfaces.

What Is the Role/Purpose of Each Color?

The color of truncated domes can sometimes be used to serve specific roles or purposes. With our traditional yellow color, it signifies to use caution in the location. In some cities, they will also use a bright red or brick red color, which also indicates people should use caution.

Some state regulations will only allow the use of red warning surfaces in areas that are considered a controlled pedestrian walkway or crossing. A controlled walkway or crossing would be considered crosswalks at major intersections, but could also include different types of crossings, like a pedestrian bridge used above a busy road.

The bright blue color that is often associated with handicap accessible areas is typically reserved for the same purposes when used with warning surfaces. You may also notice the wheelchair symbol in white on the surface.

handicapped-detectable-warning-systemOther colors you can encounter in different cities could include:

  • Black
  • Dark Red/Brick Red/Orange-Red
  • Dark Gray
  • White
  • Light Gray
  • Brown/Clay Red
  • Light Yellow

The use of these colors is often for aesthetic reasons and, typically, does not have any specific role or purpose tied to the color. For example, dark-red warning surfaces may be used on a pedestrian crossing that intersects a jogging and bike path made of a light-colored cement or paving tiles.

The dark red provides a brick-like appearance to the path and satisfies the ADA contrast requirements. On the other hand, if the path was dark-colored asphalt, then the warning surface tiles should be a light color, so white or light gray would both work as viable color choices.

Can a Business Use Custom Colors?

As long as there are no state-mandated requirements and the tactile system satisfies the ADA federal requirements, then by all means, a business can use custom colors. Custom colors can include just about any color and shade. For instance, a sports arena may choose to install detectable tactile surfaces that reflect the team’s colors.

Some businesses also use custom designed panels that they can change out that feature to different types of images, logos, and text. For example, a retail store could have special tiles made to reflect various times of the year, holidays, or seasonal sales events. As long as the panel they want to replace is a cast-in-place replaceable panel, they can swap it out with whatever custom designed panel they want to use.

Does the Choice of Color Really Matter?

detectable-warning-systems-for-the-blindAccording to a study conducted by the United States Access Board, it found that while traditional yellow was a good contrasting color for many applications, unless there were state regulations requiring the use of this color, other colors would work just as well.

In fact, they found brick red to be just as superior a contrasting color to yellow in their 2007 research study.2 The study also found that the use of multiple colors in areas where using a single contrasting color was difficult was better compared to using a single color.

To illustrate, a rail station platform uses a series of different paver tiles in both dark and light colors. Since there are both light and dark colors, choosing a contrasting color to satisfy the ADA requirements could prove challenging. However, the ADA does allow an exception where you could use two colors—one as a border around the second color to help create the necessary contrast.

How ADA Solutions Can Help

ADA Solutions offers a wide array of tactile warning systems and solutions in traditional yellow and customizable colors to suit your needs and requirements. We can lend our expertise to help ensure you satisfy ADA requirement and any state regulations for the type of panels you choose for your project including:

  • Cast-in-Place
  • Cast-in-Place Replaceable
  • Photoluminescent Systems
  • Way-Finding Surfaces
  • Replaceable Graphic Tile Systems
  • Radius Systems
  • Surface Applied Systems
  • Cast Iron Tactile Systems

We are committed to the highest quality and standards in our products and solutions. Over the years, we have installed over 30 million square feet of warning surfaces all across the country! At ADA Solutions, your project and your needs always come first to ensure you receive the customer-focused attention you deserve.

We would also be happy to supply you with a sample of our products. To request a free quote, free sample, for assistance finding a distributor in your area, or any other questions about ADA Solutions truncated domes and warning systems, please feel free to contact us at (800) 372-0519 today!

Sources:

  1. http://www.ada-compliance.com/ada-compliance/705-detectable-warnings
  2. https://www.access-board.gov/research/prow/visual-detection-detectable-warning/

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Tactile Warning surfaces are needed in many places as required by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. You will find Tactile warning surfaces used in such locations as:

  • Bus Stations
  • Train Stations
  • Airports
  • Subway Stations
  • Public Sidewalks
  • Public Crosswalks
  • Entry Ways to Businesses
  • Apartment Complexes
  • Condominium Communities
  • Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Essentially, these special types of raised dome surfaces provide tactile warnings for visually impaired individuals, as well as in lowered lighting conditions. They help identify a change in elevation and grade, as well as a transition from one surface/location to another—for instance, leaving a sidewalk and entering a crosswalk at a busy intersection.

ADA Solutions provides a wide range of different types of tactile warning surfaces and systems, including:

  • Iron Dome®
  • Radius Systems
  • Cast in Place
  • Cast in Place Replaceable
  • Surface Applied
  • Guide Tile
  • Directional Bar Tile

Our solutions are designed to be used for retrofits, remodels, and new construction. Based on the type of project, one or more of our tactile warning products will help finish your project on time, and under budget.

To learn more about our many different types of Tactile Warning Products and their key features, we invite you to  review the following infographic. Afterward, do not hesitate to contact us directly for further assistance in selecting the right Tactile Warning product for your project.

 

Warning Surfaces at ADA Solutions

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Common ADA Requirements

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was introduced in 1990 and revised as recently as 2016. In addition to defining a disability, it forbids discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requires employers to provide them with reasonable workplace accommodations.

Common ADA requirements also include ease of access, public rights-of-way, and curb ramps at pedestrian crossings. Many of the products ADA Solutions offers, including those with a detectable warning surface and truncated domes, help facilities and businesses meet the guidelines of the ADA.

Detectable Warnings

Title II of the Act established the requirement for these in 1991.1 By law, such surfaces are required on curb ramps, transit platform edges, and vehicular ways. One reason is to provide an indication to visually impaired individuals. The Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) only allow for truncated domes as warnings, as exposed aggregate or grooves can be confused with cracks, joints, and textures on the pavement.

Curb Ramps

Chapter 6 of the ADA calls for the use of curb ramps. They provide access to sidewalks and streets for people who use wheelchairs, walkers, or scooters. Otherwise, curb edges would create a safety hazard, and individuals would need to choose to stay home or risk traveling in the streets with vehicles.

ADA-compliant ramps include a ramp run, the sloped section that allows one to travel from the sidewalk to the street. They also include transitions at the top and bottom. Flare sides level the curb with the street, while the gutter of the roadway passes immediately adjacent to the ramp. Acceptable alternative designs include parallel curb ramps, which come together with a landing level with a road, and combined curb ramps, consisting of parallel and perpendicular ramps.

The guidelines require that detectable warning surfaces begin 6 to 8 inches from the back of a curb. They must extend two feet in the direction of travel.

Size Requirements

Truncated dome sizes must conform to a base diameter of 0.9 to 1.4 inches, a height of 0.2 inches, and a top diameter of 50 to 65 percent of the base diameter. The ADA’s truncated domes requirements also call for a center-to-center spacing of 1.6 to 2.4 inches as well as a base-to-base spacing of at least 0.65 inches.

Domes provided by ADA Solutions are available with 1.67-inch and 2.35-inch dome spacing and are 0.20 inches high.

Accessible Routes

Curb ramps, doorways, elevators, and platform lifts are included under this category. The slope should not be steeper than 1:20,2 and any walking surface shouldn’t have a cross slope steeper than 1:48. In addition, the clear width of walking surfaces should be at least 36 inches. The clear width of a turn must be 42 inches if the accessible route turns at 180 degrees around an element less than 48 inches in width; both accessibility requirements must be followed unless exceptions apply.

Around rail crossings, ADA tactile warning requirements call for detectable warning surfaces to be positioned so that the edge nearest the crossing is 6-15 feet from the centerline of the nearest rail.

More details can be found in the ADA and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines.

ADA Solutions Helps Meet Common Requirements

Americans with Disabilities Act

Our products are designed to meet all ADAAG requirements. Pre-assembled replaceable and long-term fiberglass reinforced composite Cast-in-Place panels are available. We also offer surface applied panels that can be retrofitted to a new construction or an existing concrete surface. Radius systems are cut to dimensions that suit each application. Photoluminescent, way-finding, and cast-iron tactile systems with truncated domes are also available to help meet ADA detectable warning surface requirements.

Keeping track of ADA mat requirements can be difficult. That’s why it’s important to purchase your detectable warning surfaces only from companies that carefully comply with ADA guidelines. ADA Solutions is the partner you need to ensure that you stay on the safe side of the law.

Learn more about our ADA-compliant solutions by filling out our contact form or calling 800-372-0519.

Sources

  1. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/resources/dwm.cfm
  2. https://www.si.edu/content/accessibility/americans-disabilities-act.pdf

 

Numerous devices have been created to aid over 56 million Americans with disabilities, to ensure safety and convenience throughout everyday life. Disabilities can include both physical and mental impairments, such as issues with mobility or cognitive disorders. While some disabilities are fairly recognizable, others are not always immediately apparent.

Studies show that an estimated 10% of U.S. citizens have what is referred to as an “invisible disability.” In efforts to make life easier for everyone, personal tools such as scooters, hearing aids, and assisted computer technologies are now widely used both at home and in public spaces.

Buildings and facilities also have a part to play in aiding those with disabilities, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. It’s not uncommon to encounter mobility aids like wheelchair ramps and automatic doors when entering or exiting a building.

Warning tiles and surfaces are another noteworthy invention commonly seen at intersections, public transit platforms, and retail storefronts. These tiles were specifically developed to make navigating safer and easier, and their uses go well beyond minimizing the effects of certain disabilities, as they also help to prevent slips and falls by providing extra traction.

See the infographic below to learn more about the disability-friendly devices that are making life more accessible for everyone.

How warning tiles can help people that have a disability

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