ADA CRITERIA FOR BENCHES Landscape Forms（ADA标准的长椅景观形式）.pdf

ADA CRITERIA FOR BENCHES What are the ADA requirements for outdoor benches? Confusion abounds, mostly as a result of a misinterpretation of Section 903 of the ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities Section 903 requirements were developed to enable people in wheelchairs to transfer to benches in certain function- and situation-specific settings. It defines bench requirements for these enumerated facilities, rooms and elements: 612 Saunas and Steam Rooms (Chap 6); 803 Dressing, Fitting and Locker Rooms (chap 8); 807 Holding Cells and Housing Cells and 808 Courtrooms (chap 8). The US Access Board confirms that Section 903 applies only to the above and that there are no ADA requirements specified in Section 903 for outdoor benches. Nevertheless, efforts are sometimes made to apply the Section 903 standards to benches in outdoor public environments, no doubt prompted by the desire to ensure seating opportunities for people in wheelchairs. We believe this misapplication of standards may provide little real benefit to people in wheelchairs while actively disadvantaging other populations. Here’s why: • People in wheelchairs typically do not transfer to benches outdoors. Rather, they pull up next to or across from people sitting in benches or movable chairs or seating walls or picnic tables to join in social activity. Current approaches to site design and furniture are focused on creating more flexible elements and spaces. Fixed and dimensionally restricted benches limit choices and risk isolating people in wheelchairs, rather than expanding choices and bringing them closer to the center of act ion. • Benches with high, exceptionally deep seats and without side arms, as specified in Section 903, are dysfunctional for people with other disabilities and needs, including: A smaller person, who cant sit in high, deep benches without having their legs dangle above the ground. People with mobility problems and the visually i