ADA Railings for Concrete Ramps
ADA railings are a common addition to concrete ramps. Often they are added well-after the ramp has been built and is already in use.
In this article we are going to cover the basics requirements for ADA railings on concrete ramps and highlight several examples to inspire you for your project.
Before we begin, it is important to remember that if you are a business that serves the public and you have a ramp of any kind that has a rise greater than 6 inches, you are required to have an ADA railing.
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ADA Requirements for Concrete Ramps You Need to Know
Before we jump into our examples of concrete ramps with ADA compliant handrails, let’s cover some of the basics.
The accessibility ramp must have a minimum of 36 inches of space between your handrails. (source)
The key thing to remember about this requirement is that it is not specifying the overall minimum width of your ramp, it is specifying the minimum space between the handrails.
For standard ADA handrails that are mounted to the surface of your wheelchair ramp, we recommend having a ramp width of at least 5 feet to accommodate the railing itself, the 36 inches of space between the rails, and the 60 inches of clearance required for landings (more on that below.)
The concrete ramp runs cannot exceed 30 inches in height. (source)
If your ramp needs to accommodate a rise of more that 30", you will need to add additional runs and landings.
Landings must be at least as wide as your runs and have at least 60 inches of clearance in both length and width. (source)
Intermediate landings are often added to concrete ramps when the overall rise of the ramp needs to exceed 30" and has multiple runs.
The minimum clearance of 60 inches is intended to help users with wheelchairs and other accessibility devices to be able to easily turn their device when they reach the landing.
Disclaimer
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of ADA railing requirements. It is intended to help highlight some of the things you need to know before you go out looking for an ADA railing.
For an exhaustive list of ADA requirements for ramps, please see the access-board.gov website. Or for a white-glove ADA railing experience, contact one of our projects team members today.
6 Examples of ADA Railing on Concrete Ramps
The saying holds true, a picture is worth a thousand words. So rather than type out 6,000 words, we’ve put together this collection of 6 ADA railings.
We hope these help inspire you and show you what is possible with our ADA railing system.
ADA Railing for Stadium Ramp
This ADA railing was installed at a large stadium. The interesting things to note about this ADA railing is that it was powder-coated to match the color of the existing railing in the stadium.
ADA Railing for Complex Concrete Ramp
Andrew from Indecor Pro installed this ADA railing for one of his customers in 2018. He was able to accommodate the unique layout of the concrete ramp thanks to our ADA railing system and some design advice from Dan on our projects team.
ADA Railing for Park Pavilion
This ADA railing was installed on a low-slope concrete ramp that leads to a pavilion. While the slope for the ramp is quite low the raised sides and railing help those with accessibility needs ensure they stay on the concrete pad and are able to support themselves while walking up to the pavilion.
ADA Railing for One Side of Concrete Pad
In this instance, one side of a concrete pad/ramp was almost flush with ground level. But on the side that exposed customers to a rise of more than 6" ADA railing was required. This ADA railing was installed by the customer and came out great!
ADA Railing for a Small Business Concrete Ramp
This customer required an ADA railing that could be mounted to the existing curb on the ramp. This railing provides customers with additional protection and features a “D” return on the end so pedestrians don’t catch their bag, clothing, or anything else they may be carrying onto the railing.
ADA Railing on Concrete Ramp with Two Runs
This ADA handrail is a good example of a standard concrete ramp that requires a handrail. Customers are able to use the intermediary landing to reach the top of the ramp, the entire ramp is protected by a top and bottom rail, and there are clear markings on the ground leading to the ramp.
Need help with ADA railing for your wheelchair ramp?
That concludes this feature on adding an ADA handrail to a concrete ramp.
We hope this article was helpful and gives you confidence that you can provide your customers a safe, accessible way to access your building.
Have a question or need help with your ADA railing project? Contact our friendly projects team today. Over the past 16 years we’ve helped thousands of businesses around the US comply with ADA handrail requirements and we’d love to help you too.
