1113A Walks and Sidewalks on Accessible Routes — 2025 California Building Code

Walks and sidewalks subject to this chapter shall have a continuous common surface, not inter- rupted by steps or by abrupt changes in level exceeding 1/2 inch (12.7 mm). (See Section 1111A).

Walking surfaces shall be stable, firm and slip resistant, and shall comply with Section 1110A.3.

1113A.1.1 Width. Walks and sidewalks shall be a minimum of 48 inches (1219 mm) in width, except that walks serving an individual dwelling unit in covered multifamily buildings may be reduced to 36 inches (914 mm) in clear width except at doors.

1113A.1.2 Surface cross slopes. Surface cross slopes shall not exceed 1 unit vertical in 48 units horizontal (2.083-percent slope).

HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY

All walks on an accessible route with continuous gradients shall have level areas at least 60 inches (1524 mm) in length at intervals of at least every 400 feet (122 m).

When the slope in the direction of travel of any walk on an accessible route exceeds 1 unit vertical in 20 units horizontal (5-percent slope), it shall comply with the ramp provisions of Section 1114A.

Walks on an accessible route shall be provided with a level area at each side of a door or gate. Level areas shall comply with the applicable requirements for maneuvering clearances in Section 1126A.3.

Walks, sidewalks and pedestrian ways on an accessible route shall be free of gratings whenever possible. Gratings located in the surface of any of these areas, grid openings in gratings shall be limited to 1/2 inch (12.7 mm) in the direction of traffic. Elon- gated openings in gratings shall be placed so that the long dimension is perpendicular to the dominant direction of traffic.

Exceptions:

1. Where the enforcement agency determines that compliance with this section would create an unreasonable hardship, an exception may be granted when equivalent facilitation is provided.

2. This section shall not apply in those conditions where, due to legal or physical constraints, all or portions of the site of the project will not allow compliance with these building standards or equivalent facilitation on all or portions of one site with- out creating an unreasonable hardship.

Handrails provided along walking surfaces with running slopes not steeper than one unit vertical in 20 units hori- zontal (5-percent slope) shall comply with Section 1114A.6.