In 2004 the US Access Board developed and proposed a new set of ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines that would be the new standard by which compliance with the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act would be judged. The new guidebook is a big improvement and incorporates many of the improvements found in ANSI A117.1 – 2003 making it much easier to reconcile these two codes that are often both required on the same project. The only catch was that the Justice Department had to approve the guidelines.
Come 2008 the Justice Department was still taking public comment. And then in 2009 with a new administration and a new set of Justice Department leadership a re-review was ordered and according to a source within the Access Board it may be late 2010 before any further action is taken.
While long in the making, this change will have far reaching effects and is definitely one to keep your eye open for in the future. This is especially true if you are planning a building renovation involving public entryways or bathrooms which have literally hundreds of requirements to consider.
My experience in this area ranges from new build work including Multi-family projects to challenging renovations of hotels and professional sports arena projects. We at EV Studio would be happy to help you add the value of accessibility to any project big or small.
