Make Your Tactile Tile Skid Resistant

Why make your tactile tile skid resistant?  Why make it contrast with the surrounding substrate?  Why install it properly?  Heck . . . why install it at all?  The answer to all of these questions is very simple . . . it’s the right thing to do.  The Americans with Disabilities Act says it’s the right thing to do.  The US Access Board says it’s the right thing to do.  The Civil Rights Act says it’s the right thing to do.  The State building code, the local building code, UFAS, ADAAG – the list goes on and on.

The Federal government’s Project Civic Access Fact Sheet, available at http://www.ada.gov/civicfac.htm, states:

Access to civic life is a fundamental part of American society. On August 23, 1999, the Department of Justice reached a settlement with the City of Toledo, Ohio, in which the City agreed to remove barriers and relocate activities throughout its city government, including the municipal courthouse, district and neighborhood police stations, a market-outlet complex, fire stations, parking garages, museums, community and social services, the city’s parks and recreation centers, the health department, and other city administrative buildings. In order to build upon that settlement, the Disability Rights Section (DRS) of the Department’s Civil Rights Division then began similar reviews of other local and state governments and to develop technical assistance materials so that communities could immediately begin to come into full compliance with the requirements of title II of the ADA.

The project now includes 147 settlement agreements with 139 localities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  In most of these matters, the compliance reviews were undertaken on the Department’s own initiative under the authority of title II and, in many cases, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because the governments receive financial assistance from the Department and are prohibited by the Act from discriminating on the basis of disability.  Some matters were undertaken in response to complaints filed against the localities.

Compliance review sites were chosen based upon the Department’s desire to visit every state, the population of the site, and, in some cases, its proximity to a university or tourist attraction. The majority of the compliance reviews occurred in small cities and towns, because they represent the most common form of local government.

DRS requested and received data from these local governments, and conducted physical surveys of facilities owned or leased by these government; of polling places; and of 9-1-1 systems.

Local government officials have responded favorably and cooperated fully in the Department’s reviews. They were timely in submitting records as requested, made themselves available to answer questions during the on-site visits, and escorted investigators throughout their communities so that facilities surveys could be accomplished quickly and efficiently. Most importantly, these officials have indicated a willingness to effect changes to make their programs and services accessible to persons with disabilities.

During the investigations, staff of the Disability Rights Section reviewed compliance with most ADA requirements. The Section has found that the vast majority of communities are aware of their ADA obligations and have made progress in meeting them. Settlement agreements resolve the balance of outstanding issues. Typical issues addressed during the Department’s investigations include:

• physical modifications of facilities to improve accessibility. Facilities include city and town halls; police and fire stations and sheriff departments; courthouses; centers for health care delivery, childcare, teen and senior activities, conventions, and recreation; animal shelters; libraries; baseball stadiums; parks (including ice skating rinks, public pools, playgrounds, ball fields and bleachers, band shells and gazebos). The agreements secure the following:

- accessible parking
- accessible routes into and through the facilities
- accessible rest rooms, drinking fountains, and telephones
- accessible service counters and concession stands, or the provision of services at alternate, accessible locations
- accessible bathing facilities at public pools

• physical modifications to polling places and/or the provision of curbside or absentee balloting;
• permanent and conspicuous notice to the community of their ADA rights and the government’s ADA obligations;
• establishment of an ADA grievance procedure where none existed in communities employing more than 50 persons;
• establishment of delivery systems and time frames for providing auxiliary aids (qualified sign language interpreters and alternate formats (Braille, large print, cassette tapes, etc.);
• installation of assistive listening systems in assembly areas (e.g., legislative chambers, court rooms, municipal auditoriums);
• strengthening of 9-1-1 emergency services through the acquisition of additional text telephones (TTY’s) to achieve a 1-1 ratio of TTY’s and answering positions, training to recognize "silent calls", and accountability through performance evaluations and discipline of employees;
• better telephone communication between the government and citizens with hearing or speech impairments through the acquisition of additional TTY’s and/or utilization of the state relay service, official publication of TTY/relay numbers, and training of employees;
• adoption of procedures for relocating inaccessible activities to accessible locations upon request (e.g., City and Town Council meetings, municipal and county court proceedings).

Agreements reached include:

Shreveport, Louisiana

Newark, New Jersey

Daviess County Library, Kentucky

Durham, North Carolina

North Las Vegas, Nevada

Barnstable County, Massachusetts

Billings, Montana

Fontana, California

Springhill, Louisiana

Waukegan, Illinois

Maui, Hawaii

Arlington County, Virginia

Birmingham, Alabama

Tucson, Arizona

Crittenden County, Arkansas

Hartford, Connecticut

Miami, Florida

Ada County, Idaho

Will County, Illinois

Allen County, Indiana

Gary, Indiana

Washington County, Maine

Prince George's County, Maryland

St. Louis County, Minnesota

Omaha, Nebraska

Paterson, New Jersey

Monroe County, New York

Providence, Rhode Island

Laurens, South Carolina

Madison County, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee

Amarillo, Texas

Webb County, Texas

Loudoun County, Virginia

Lafayette County, Florida

Hutchinson, Kansas

Florence County, South Carolina

Monroe County, Pennsylvania

Cheshire County, New Hampshire

Gallup, New Mexico

San Luis Obispo, California

Washington County, Utah

Pleasant Valley, Missouri

Bend, Oregon

Weston, West Virginia

Sedona, Arizona

Carpinteria, California

Missoula County, Montana

Suffolk, Virginia

Pueblo, Colorado

Juneau, Alaska

Fountain Hills, Arizona

San Rafael, California

Hayden, Colorado

Vail, Colorado

Vail Recreation District, Colorado

Citrus County, Florida

Coral Gables, Florida

Chatham County, Georgia

Jeffersonville, Indiana

Davenport, Iowa

Brunswick, Maine

Frederick, Maryland

Burton, Michigan

Butler County, Missouri

Cape May County, New Jersey )

Taos County, New Mexico

Highland County, Ohio

Deschutes County, Oregon

Deschutes County 9-1-1 Service District, Oregon

Monroe County Conservation District, Pennsylvania

Minnehaha County, South Dakota

Lakewood, Washington

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Red Bank, New Jersey

Franklin, Pennsylvania

Folly Beach, South Carolina

Lucas County, Ohio

Fort Walton Beach, Florida

City of Detroit, Michigan

Springfield, Massachusetts

Carson City, Nevada

City of Mobile, Alabama

City of Binghamton, New York

Citrus County, Florida, Sheriff's Office

Lincoln County, Nebraska

Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, Illinois

City of Muskogee, OK

Tillamook County, OR

Loudon County, Tennessee

Madison County, Mississippi

Worcester County, Maryland

Columbia County, New York

City of Bismarck, North Dakota

City of Burlington, Vermont

City of Flagstaff, Arizona

City of Savannah, Georgia

City of San Antonio, Texas

City of Biloxi, Mississippi

Craig County, Virginia

City of New Orleans, Louisiana

Warren County, Illinois

State of Delaware

County of Kaua'i, Hawaii

Robertsdale, Alabama

Seaside, California

Logan, Utah

Perry County, Kentucky

Springfield, Missouri

Brookline, Massachusetts

Allendale County, South Carolina

Butte County, South Dakota

New Albany, Indiana

City of Seward, Nebraska

Narragansett, Rhode Island

Fairbanks, Alaska

Boulder City, Nevada

Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Bowie, Maryland

Santa Fe, New Mexico

Guanica, Puerto Rico

Fajardo, Puerto Rico

District of Columbia

City of Dodge City, Kansas

City of Cambridge, Ohio

City of Ashland, Oregon

Township of Warminster, Pennsylvania

Town of Elkin, North Carolina

Boulder County, Colorado

Fernandina Beach, Florida

Moscow, Idaho

Pella, Iowa

Farmington, Maine

South Orange, New Jersey

Laramie, Wyoming

Hot Springs, Arkansas

Windham, Connecticut

Mantorville, Minnesota

City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri

Springfield-Greene County Library District, Missouri

Forsyth, Montana

Nashville/Davidson County, Tennessee

Summers County, West Virginia

Mt. Vernon, Washington

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

During the same time that DRS staff conducted investigations, the Section developed two technical assistance booklets, entitled "Americans with Disabilities Act: ADA Guide for Small Towns" and "The ADA and City Governments: Common Problems." Both review the ADA’s requirements and offer practical examples of ways they can be met. The two documents and all settlement agreements that emanate from Project Civic Access can be found on the ADA home page at www.ada.gov. Together they form a blueprint that can be used by state and local governments to evaluate their programs, services and activities in order to ensure the opportunity for full participation by persons with disabilities.

To find a wealth of information on detectable warning tiles, pertinent legislation, and information on the finest product available, visit www.armor-tile.com.

Why make your tactile tile skid resistant?

It’s the right thing to do.

By Mark Heimlich

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