Maintaining Accessible Routes During the Holidays

Holiday Decor

The holidays are a magical time of year. It’s a time for family, festivities and holiday spirit. Many businesses take part in spreading holiday cheer by decorating their facilities with Christmas trees, lights, inflatables, displays, etc.

Decorations can attract customers and set a business apart from the competition. One of my favorite holiday traditions is to visit the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, CA to take family photos in front of the beautifully decorated Christmas Tree located in the hotel lobby.

Most businesses are able to successfully decorate their facilities without compromising disability access. However, some businesses fail to consider the accessible route when decorating for the holidays. The consequences of obstructing accessible routes can lead to less access for customers with disabilities and exposure to ADA lawsuits.

Accessible Routes

The Accessible Route or Accessible Path of Travel is required to connect all accessible elements within a site. Some of the most common elements on an accessible route are: Parking, Entrances, Counters, Dining, Event Spaces, Shopping Aisles, Elevators, Drinking Fountains and Restrooms. If properly designed prior to construction, the accessible route that connects all fixed accessible elements was likely identified on the approved architectural plans. Unfixed elements may not have considered in architectural design because the ADAS and CBC only apply to fixed or built in elements. But this does not obviate compliance with maintaining clear and unobstructed routes throughout a facility.

All public accommodations including but not limited to: retail, restaurants, lodging and commercial facilities must maintain accessible routes that are free from fixed and unfixed obstructions. There are situations where a business can temporarily obstruct the accessible route while maintaining compliance with the ADA. For example, a shopping aisle can be temporarily obstructed while an employee is restocking a shelf or reorganizing merchandise. But these types of situations are isolated and temporary interruptions. Holiday decorations that obstruct accessible routes are rarely isolated or temporary.

We recommend evaluating the clear width of all aisles and accessible paths of travel immediately after holiday decorations are positioned. The ADA requires a minimum clear width of 36 inches along the accessible path of travel. The simplest way to periodically evaluate the clear width of an accessible route is to walk through the facility with a yard stick held perpendicular to the direction of travel. If the yard stick strikes and object at any point, that obstruction should be removed to provide enough clearance for people with disabilities. Depending on the state where a public accommodation is located, the required clear width can as much as 48” minimum. It is important to know which standards apply to your business. A Certified Access Specialist (CASp) can help clarify the minimum requirements that apply to your particular facility.

Accessible routes are just one of many factors to consider for disability access compliance. Facilities that receive a CASp Inspection are provided with a comprehensive report that details all architectural barriers that require improvement. Contact one of our CASp inspectors before the end of the year to take advantage of the tax incentives for ADA improvements.

Happy Holidays!