Section 1104 Accessible Route
At least one accessible route within the site shall be provided from public transportation stops, accessible parking, accessible passenger loading zones, and public streets or sidewalks to the accessible building entrance served.
Exception: Other than in buildings or facilities containing or serving Type B units, an accessible route shall not be required between site arrival points and the building or facility entrance if the only means of access between them is a vehicular way not providing for pedestrian access.
At least one accessible route shall connect accessible buildings, accessible facilities, accessible elements and accessible spaces that are on the same site.
Exceptions:
- An accessible route is not required between accessible buildings, accessible facilities, accessible elements and accessible spaces that have, as the only means of access between them, a vehicular way not providing for pedestrian access.
- An accessible route to recreational facilities shall only be required to the extent specified in Section 1110.
Where a building or portion of a building is required to be accessible, at least one accessible route shall be provided to each portion of the building, to accessible building entrances connecting accessible pedestrian walkways and to the public way.
Exceptions:
- Stories and mezzanines exempted by Section 1104.4.
- In a building, room or space used for assembly purposes with fixed seating, an accessible route shall not be required to serve levels where wheelchair spaces are not provided.
- Vertical access to elevated employee work stations within a courtroom complying with Section 1108.4.1.4.
- An accessible route to recreational facilities shall only be required to the extent specified in Section 1110.
Common use circulation paths within employee work areas shall be accessible routes.
Exceptions:
- Common use circulation paths, located within employee work areas that are less than 1,000 square feet (93 m2) in size and defined by permanently installed partitions, counters, casework or furnishings, shall not be required to be accessible routes.
- Common use circulation paths, located within employee work areas, that are an integral component of equipment, shall not be required to be accessible routes.
- Common use circulation paths, located within exterior employee work areas that are fully exposed to the weather, shall not be required to be accessible routes.
Press boxes in a building, room or space used for assembly purposes shall be on an accessible route.
Exceptions:
- An accessible route shall not be required to press boxes in bleachers that have a single point of entry from the bleachers, provided that the aggregate area of all press boxes for each playing field is not more than 500 square feet (46 m2).
- An accessible route shall not be required to free-standing press boxes that are more than 12 feet (3660 mm) above grade provided that the aggregate area of all press boxes for each playing field is not more than 500 square feet (46 m2).
At least one accessible route shall connect each accessible story, mezzanine and occupied roofs in multilevel buildings and facilities.
Exceptions:
An accessible route is not required to stories, mezzanines and occupied roofs that have an aggregate area of not more than 3,000 square feet (278.7 m2) and are located above and below accessible levels. This exception shall not apply to:
- 1.1. Multiple tenant facilities of Group M occupancies containing five or more tenant spaces used for the sales or rental of goods and where at least one such tenant space is located on a floor level above or below the accessible levels.
- 1.2. Stories or mezzanines containing offices of health care providers (Group B or I).
- 1.3. Passenger transportation facilities and airports (Group A-3 or B).
- 1.4. Government buildings.
- Stories, mezzanines or occupied roofs that do not contain accessible elements or other spaces as determined by Section 1107 or 1108 are not required to be served by an accessible route from an accessible level.
- In air traffic control towers, an accessible route is not required to serve the cab and the floor immediately below the cab.
- Where a two-story building or facility has one story or mezzanine with an occupant load of five or fewer persons that does not contain public use space, that story or mezzanine shall not be required to be connected by an accessible route to the story above or below.
Accessible routes shall coincide with or be located in the same area as a general circulation path. Where the circulation path is interior, the accessible route shall be interior. Where only one accessible route is provided, the accessible route shall not pass through kitchens, storage rooms, restrooms, closets or similar spaces.
Exceptions:
- Accessible routes from parking garages contained within and serving Type B units are not required to be interior.
- A single accessible route is permitted to pass through a kitchen or storage room in an Accessible unit, Type A unit or Type B unit.
Security barriers including, but not limited to, security bollards and security check points shall not obstruct a required accessible route or accessible means of egress.
Exception: Where security barriers incorporate elements that cannot comply with these requirements, such as certain metal detectors, fluoroscopes or other similar devices, the accessible route shall be permitted to be provided adjacent to security screening devices. The accessible route shall permit persons with disabilities passing around security barriers to maintain visual contact with their personal items to the same extent provided others passing through the security barrier.