Peter E. Callander, ASLA
landscape architect
Landscape Forensics
CA reg. #1308 since 1972
What’s the Design Standard?
Pedestrian access and circulation are cornerstones of any successful site and landscape design for residential communities, multi-unit housing, public facilities, bikeways, greenways and parking lots. For daily users, little thought is given to the complexities of design conditions that are successfully navigated on a daily basis. Those unsuccessfully navigated may fail to live up to these design standards.
Source: 2007 California Building Code
What’s a reasonable application of the various design standards for sloped paths? Are ADA guidelines applicable to an entire site? Is it reasonable to mix pedestrian, bicycles, strollers and skateboards on a common pathway? The applicable design standard for a given situation becomes an important component of a completed design. After identifying the standard, has it been properly executed at the site? Do the on-site measurements actually comply with the “blueprints”? Have maintenance or management practices impacted the design solution? All of these questions are important to address in fully understanding a successful site design.
