Accessibility
Projects should be designed to make it easier for New Yorkers with disabilities, older adults, and children to navigate the city. To this end, designs should consider how people with diverse ability levels will use and move through the space.
Pedestrian spaces should have clearly defined pathways with minimal clutter that are easy to understand, regardless of users’ ability level or experience. Delineation treatments should be developed in conjunction with stakeholders to meet the mobility needs of the intended users. Designs should incorporate multiple ways of communicating effectively with users. Examples include pedestrian ramps and detectable edge treatments. Projects must meet or exceed all applicable federal, state, and local accessibility standards for facilities and public rights-of-way, including minimum clear-path widths, inclusion of ADA-compliant ramps, and provision of accessible transit facilities.
Pedestrian Mobility Plan
New York City is a city of pedestrians who rely on an interconnected network of sidewalks and street crossings to comfortably travel around the city. To enhance the pedestrian experience, DOT has developed guidelines and best practices for prioritizing pedestrian needs within the right-of-way: the Pedestrian Mobility Plan.
These guidelines, based on the functional needs of the city's sidewalks, are not regulatory but incorporate existing regulatory requirements such as those found in the Highway Rules or pursuant to ADA and the rules promulgated thereunder.
The Pedestrian Mobility Plan informs how we design our sidewalks and streets by focusing on pedestrian comfort, safety, and convenience. For more details, visit the Pedestrian Mobility Plan webpage.
Pedestrian Access Routes
Designers and permittees performing alterations on pedestrian facilities must comply with the following requirements for pedestrian access routes in the public right-of-way. Pedestrian access routes can be located within or extend for the full width of pedestrian circulation paths. Refer to their requirements in the proceeding section.
Dimensional Requirements
- Pedestrian access routes should be at least 5 feet wide; on most corridors a greater clear path is required – review the Pedestrian Mobility Plan and NYC DOT Highway Rules for additional guidance. If constrained, the pedestrian access route may be reduced to 4 feet wide, for no more than 200 linear feet.
- On shared use paths, the clear width of the pedestrian access route must extend the full width of the shared use path.
- The vertical clearance of any pedestrian circulation path must be 80 inches minimum. Where the vertical clearance is less than 80 inches, a cane detectable barrier that meets ADA requirements must be provided.
- Objects must not protrude into the clear width of the pedestrian access route. Protruding objects in the pedestrian circulation path must comply with the pedestrian circulation path requirements in the ADA.
- Objects protruding into the pedestrian circulation path higher than 27 inches above grade, and less than 80 inches above grade, must not protrude more than 4 inches horizontally into the pedestrian circulation path.
Running Slopes
- The running slope of a pedestrian access route should not be more than 5%, except where the street grade is 5% or greater.
- If a pedestrian access route is contained within the public right of way, the running slope may equal the legal grade of the street.
- The maximum running slope of any pedestrian ramp or ramp intended for pedestrian use must comply with ADA requirements.
Cross Slopes
- The cross slope of a pedestrian access route not contained within a crosswalk must be 2% maximum.
- At intersection crosswalks with stop or yield control, the cross slope of the pedestrian access route must not exceed 2%.
- At intersection crosswalks with traffic signal control, pedestrian hybrid beacons, or without any control, the cross slope of the pedestrian access route must not exceed 5%.
- The cross slope of a pedestrian access route at mid-block and roundabout crosswalks is permitted to equal the longitudinal grade of the roadway.
Ground Surface Requirements
- Pedestrian access routes should be paved without any corrugations or bumps to the maximum extent feasible. Any paver installed within the pedestrian access route must have a flat wearing surface.
- Underground street access covers, transformer vault covers, and gratings must be flush with the grade of any pedestrian circulation path and comply with the requirements of the NYC Highway Rules.
- Pedestrian access routes must be level to the maximum extent feasible. Where a vertical change in level is present, the maximum allowable vertical change is one-quarter (1/4) inch. There is one exception: where approved by the department, the vertical change may be greater than one-quarter (1/4) inch and less than one-half (1/2) inch, provided the leading edge of the vertical change is beveled at a slope less than 1-inch rise over 2-inch horizontal distance (50%).
- Positive drainage must be provided from any pedestrian circulation path, including crosswalks, towards a storm sewer conveyance or any other approved stormwater collection point.