Curb cut
Encyclopedia
A curb cut curb ramp, dropped kerb (UK
), pram ramp, or kerb ramp (Australia
) is a solid (usually concrete) ramp graded down from the top surface of a sidewalk
to the surface of an adjoining street. It is designed for pedestrian uses and commonly found in urban areas where pedestrian activity is expected. In comparison with a conventional curb (finished at a right angle 4 – above the street surface) a curb cut is finished at an intermediate gradient that connects both surfaces, sometimes with tactile paving
.
in Berkeley, California
. Following this, the value of curb cuts was promoted more strongly and their instatement was often made on a voluntary basis by municipal authorities and developers.
More recently, curb cuts in Western countries have been mandated by legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
(ADA) in the United States
, which requires that curb cuts be present on all sidewalks. This was followed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
in Australia. The legislative requirements have been increased from the original requirements in recent times, to the point where existing treatments can now fail to meet the most recent design requirements.
Supporters of the requirements point to curb cuts as an example of legislation that benefits every user of public spaces, even though the law was aimed at people with disabilities
.
, on a toddler
's tricycle
etc., to move onto or off a sidewalk without difficulty. A pedestrian
using a walker
or cane, pushing a stroller or buggy, pushing or pulling a cart
or walking next to a bicycle
also benefits from a curb cut.
It can also be used by someone on a bicycle, roller skates, skateboard
, etc., as well as by a delivery person using a dolly
.
on the other side of a sidewalk.
Smaller curb cuts, approximately a foot (0.3 metres) in width, can be utilized in parking areas or sidewalks to allow for a drainage path of water runoff to flow into an area where it may infiltrate such as grass or a garden.
d no greater than 1:12 (8.33%), which means that for every 12 metres of horizontal distance, they rise no more than one metre. The concrete
curb ramp is sometimes scored with grooves, the texture of which may serve as a warning to vision-impaired persons of the transition to the street. Such grooves also allow for traction
and water runoff
, may be stained
a color
that significantly contrasts with the adjacent
concrete. If a curb ramp contains flared sides, they are usually no greater than 1:10 slope.
Pram ramps in Australia are designed according to Australian Standard AS 1428: Design for access and mobility.
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
), pram ramp, or kerb ramp (Australia
Australian English
Australian English is the name given to the group of dialects spoken in Australia that form a major variety of the English language....
) is a solid (usually concrete) ramp graded down from the top surface of a sidewalk
Sidewalk
A sidewalk, or pavement, footpath, footway, and sometimes platform, is a path along the side of a road. A sidewalk may accommodate moderate changes in grade and is normally separated from the vehicular section by a curb...
to the surface of an adjoining street. It is designed for pedestrian uses and commonly found in urban areas where pedestrian activity is expected. In comparison with a conventional curb (finished at a right angle 4 – above the street surface) a curb cut is finished at an intermediate gradient that connects both surfaces, sometimes with tactile paving
Tactile paving
Tactile paving is a system of textured ground surface indicators found on many footpaths, stairs and train station platforms to assist blind and vision impaired pedestrians.Tactile warnings provide a distinctive surface pattern of "truncated domes" or cones...
.
History
Historically speaking, footpaths were finished at right angles to the street surface with conventional curb treatments. Kalamazoo, Michigan installed curb cuts in the 1940's as a pilot project to aide employment of disabled veterans . In subsequent years expansion of their use was pioneered by the disability rights leader Ed RobertsEd Roberts (activist)
Edward Verne Roberts was an American activist. He was the first student with severe disabilities to attend the University of California, Berkeley. He was a pioneering leader of the disability rights movement.-Early life:...
in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. Following this, the value of curb cuts was promoted more strongly and their instatement was often made on a voluntary basis by municipal authorities and developers.
More recently, curb cuts in Western countries have been mandated by legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
(ADA) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which requires that curb cuts be present on all sidewalks. This was followed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 was an act passed by the Parliament of Australia in 1992 to promote the rights of people with disabilities in certain areas such as housing, education and provision of goods and services...
in Australia. The legislative requirements have been increased from the original requirements in recent times, to the point where existing treatments can now fail to meet the most recent design requirements.
Supporters of the requirements point to curb cuts as an example of legislation that benefits every user of public spaces, even though the law was aimed at people with disabilities
Americans with disabilities
Americans with disabilities comprise one of the largest minority groups in the United States. According to the Disability Status: 2000 - Census 2000 Brief approximately 20% of Americans have one or more diagnosed psychological or physical disability:...
.
Users and uses
Curb cuts placed at street intersections allow someone in a wheelchairWheelchair
A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
, on a toddler
Toddler
A toddler is a young child, usually defined as being between the ages of one and three. Registered nurse, midwife and author, Robin Barker, states 'Any time from eight months onwards your baby will begin to realise he is a separate person from you...
's tricycle
Tricycle
A tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school-age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the United States and Canada, adult-sized tricycles are used primarily by older persons for...
etc., to move onto or off a sidewalk without difficulty. A pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
using a walker
Walker (tool)
A walker or walking frame is a tool for disabled or elderly people who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while walking...
or cane, pushing a stroller or buggy, pushing or pulling a cart
Cart
A cart is a vehicle designed for transport, using two wheels and normally pulled by one or a pair of draught animals. A handcart is pulled or pushed by one or more people...
or walking next to a bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
also benefits from a curb cut.
It can also be used by someone on a bicycle, roller skates, skateboard
Skateboard
A skateboard is typically a specially designed plywood board combined with a polyurethane coating used for making smoother slides and stronger durability, used primarily for the activity of skateboarding. The first skateboards to reach public notice came out of the surfing craze of the early 1960s,...
, etc., as well as by a delivery person using a dolly
Dolly (tool)
A dolly is the name given to a category of tools used in shaping sheet metal. In general, a dolly is a solid piece of metal, small enough to hold in one hand, with a curved or shaped face...
.
Other curb cuts
A wider curb cut is also useful for motor vehicles to enter a driveway or parking lotParking lot
A parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
on the other side of a sidewalk.
Smaller curb cuts, approximately a foot (0.3 metres) in width, can be utilized in parking areas or sidewalks to allow for a drainage path of water runoff to flow into an area where it may infiltrate such as grass or a garden.
Design
Accessible curb cuts transition from the low side of a curb to the high side (usually 15 cm change in level). Accessible curb ramps are a minimum of 1 metre wide. They are slopeSlope
In mathematics, the slope or gradient of a line describes its steepness, incline, or grade. A higher slope value indicates a steeper incline....
d no greater than 1:12 (8.33%), which means that for every 12 metres of horizontal distance, they rise no more than one metre. The concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
curb ramp is sometimes scored with grooves, the texture of which may serve as a warning to vision-impaired persons of the transition to the street. Such grooves also allow for traction
Traction (engineering)
Traction refers to the maximum frictional force that can be produced between surfaces without slipping.The units of traction are those of force, or if expressed as a coefficient of traction a ratio.-Traction:...
and water runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
, may be stained
Stain
A stain is a discoloration that can be clearly distinguished from the surface, material, or medium it is found upon. Stains are caused by the chemical or physical interaction of two dissimilar materials...
a color
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
that significantly contrasts with the adjacent
Adjacent
Adjacent is an adjective meaning contiguous, adjoining or abuttingIn geometry, adjacent is when sides meet to make an angle.In graph theory adjacent nodes in a graph are linked by an edge....
concrete. If a curb ramp contains flared sides, they are usually no greater than 1:10 slope.
Pram ramps in Australia are designed according to Australian Standard AS 1428: Design for access and mobility.