The ramp at our local library got a redesign and I am not thrilled

They replaced the old wooden ramp with a concrete one last spring, and the slope is noticeably steeper to fit the new landscaping they added. I used to wheel up the old one fine with my chair, but now I have to ask for help or take a longer route around the building. Has anyone else dealt with a ramp that was made worse by an accessibility upgrade that looked better on paper?

2 comments

2 Comments

riverowens5d ago

Measure the slope yourself with a level and a tape measure. I've done that before and found ramps that felt way too steep but were technically legal, though it didn't make them any easier to use. If it's over the max allowed for your area, that gives you a solid case to bring to the library board or your city's ADA coordinator. Concrete does last longer than wood, but that doesn't mean squat if the design is worse for actual wheelchair users.

white.grant5d ago

Yeah I gotta disagree with you here. I use public spaces all the time and Ive seen those old wooden ramps rot out and become dangerous after a few winters. Concrete is way more durable and actually stays accessible in the long run. The slope thing is a real bummer though, I get that. But maybe the landscaping was needed for drainage or something that wouldve caused bigger problems down the road. Have you actually measured the slope to see if it still meets ADA standards? Sometimes a ramp can feel steeper than it really is if the handrails or surface changed. Id say give it a few months and if its still giving you trouble file a complaint with the city, thats why those codes exist.