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Plan an accessible route as a continuous journey from every relevant arrival point to the public building’s accessible entrance, then through the building to each room, space and element the visitor must use. Map the route, keep it with the building’s normal circulation, and inspect every walking surface, level change, doorway, ramp, curb ramp, elevator or lift, obstruction and sign.
This guide uses the U.S. federal ADA framework as its baseline. The controlling answer for a particular building also depends on its use, construction or alteration history and state or local jurisdiction, so a field checklist is not, by itself, a legal compliance determination.
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What an accessible route is—and what it must connect
An accessible route is a connected path across a site and through a building, not merely a ramp at the front door. The U.S. Access Board’s ADA Standards require accessible routes to connect required arrival points with accessible entrances and to connect accessible buildings, facilities, spaces and elements on the site. Inside the building, the route connects an accessible entrance with the accessible rooms, spaces and elements that visitors need to reach. See the ADA Accessibility Standards and the Access Board’s Chapter 4 guide.
Start by listing every arrival point a visitor could reasonably use:
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- Accessible parking spaces and passenger loading zones.
- Public streets and sidewalks that lead to the site.
- Public transportation stops, where provided.
- Any other site entrance that the building presents as a public arrival point.
For each arrival point, identify the accessible entrance it serves. Then list the destinations: reception, service counters, meeting rooms, public toilets, assembly areas, elevators, offices open to visitors and any other space or element required for the planned visit. A route plan is complete only when it links the relevant arrival points to those destinations.
Section 206.3 of the standards states: “Accessible routes shall coincide with or be located in the same area as general circulation paths.” Read the exact provision in the Access Board standards text. The rule matters in practice: a person using an accessible route should not be sent around the back of a building or through a service area while other visitors use the principal circulation path, unless the applicable standards provide a specific exception.
Confirm the ADA context before drawing a final route
Federal ADA requirements are not one universal checklist. The applicable analysis changes with the building’s use, whether the work is new construction or an alteration, whether a state or local government program is involved and, for an existing business, what barrier removal is readily achievable. The ADA Standards for Accessible Design provide the federal baseline, but they do not replace the requirements of the jurisdiction where the building is located.
Before approving a design or remediation plan, identify:
- Whether the project is new construction, an alteration or work in an existing facility.
- Whether the building is operated by a public entity or is a private facility open to the public.
- The occupancy and spaces that visitors are expected to use.
- The state and local building, accessibility and permitting rules that apply at the site.
- Any site constraints, historic conditions or structural limits that require a professional assessment.
Use the route-planning method below to organize the facts. For a complex assessment, obtain advice from a qualified accessibility professional, architect or building official who can apply the controlling provisions and exceptions to the specific project.
Step-by-step route-planning method
1. Inventory arrival points and destinations
Draw a simple site plan or obtain the current architectural plan. Mark each parking area, passenger loading zone, public sidewalk connection and transit stop. Next to each mark, name the accessible entrance that visitors should use. On the building plan, mark every public room, service point and element that the intended visitor must reach.
Do not assume that one front-door path serves the whole facility. A library may need a route from parking to the lobby, children’s area, meeting room and public toilet. A courthouse may need routes to security, courtrooms, clerk counters and jury facilities. The exact list depends on the building’s use; the planning principle is to identify the actual journey before checking dimensions.
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On the plan, draw a continuous line from each relevant arrival point to an accessible entrance and from that entrance to each required destination. The Access Board identifies walking surfaces, doorways, ramps, curb ramps, elevators and platform lifts as possible route components. A break at any one component can make the journey unusable even when the other sections are well designed.
Show where the route changes from site to building and where it changes floors. If the route crosses a parking aisle, sidewalk, courtyard or lobby, include that segment rather than stopping at the property line or vestibule. If two paths are needed to serve different arrival points or destinations, draw both and inspect both.
3. Keep the route with ordinary circulation
Compare the proposed line with the path used by the general public. The accessible route should coincide with, or be located in, that same circulation area. For interior vertical circulation, do not isolate the accessible route in a remote part of the facility away from the stairs or escalators when the standards require an interior route.
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When evaluating alternatives, record the distance, detour and visibility from the normal path. A route that technically reaches the destination but sends visitors through a loading area, staff corridor or distant rear entrance creates a different experience and may conflict with the circulation-location requirement.
4. Decide whether each segment must be interior or exterior
The route may use exterior walks, interior corridors or both, depending on the building and site. If circulation within the building is interior, the required accessible route should also be interior. Use an exterior path only where it is the applicable route for that portion of the journey and where it connects the site and building elements that visitors need.
| Planning question | Interior route | Exterior route |
|---|---|---|
| Where it generally runs | Through the building’s entrance, corridors and interior vertical circulation. | Across sidewalks, plazas, courtyards, parking connections and other outdoor site circulation. |
| What to verify | Connection to the accessible entrance, rooms and elements; elevator or lift access where floors change; doors and maneuvering areas. | Connection from each relevant arrival point; walking surface, curb ramps, level changes and objects in the path. |
| Location principle | Keep it in the same area as the building’s general circulation. | Keep it aligned with the site’s normal pedestrian circulation rather than a remote service path. |
The table is a planning aid, not a substitute for the provisions that govern the particular project.
5. Walk and inspect the entire line
Use the drawn route as a field walk. Start at each arrival point and travel to every listed destination in the direction a visitor would use. Inspect changes in level, doors and their maneuvering areas, surface condition, ramps and curb ramps, elevators or lifts, clear width and objects that intrude into the path. Record the location and photograph or sketch each problem so the design team can assign a correction.
Do not inspect only the most visible feature. A new ramp cannot compensate for a broken sidewalk, a door that cannot be approached, an elevator that is outside the route or a protruding object that creates a hazard in the corridor.
6. Plan for an inaccessible main entrance
If the main entrance cannot be made accessible, DOJ guidance describes using an alternate accessible entrance. Place signs at inaccessible entrances that direct visitors to it, and keep the alternate entrance open whenever the other public entrances are open. The alternate should be easy to find from the normal approach and should connect to the same interior destinations without an avoidable service-area detour.
Document the sign locations, the route from each affected arrival point and the hours when the alternate entrance is available. If the entrance is locked, staffed or controlled by security, include the operating procedure in the building’s access plan.
7. Document the route and its unresolved questions
On the plan, label the start and end of every segment, the route type (site, entrance, interior corridor or vertical connection), and the person responsible for correcting a problem. Separate observations from conclusions. For example, record that a walking surface has a raised change in level at a specific location; then ask the design professional or enforcing authority which technical provision and exception apply.
Keep the date of the walk, the person who performed it, the building area, weather or temporary conditions affecting an exterior route and any drawings used. This makes a later reinspection possible when construction, furniture, landscaping or operations change.
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Stop short of declaring compliance when the route involves a major alteration, structural work, a government program, historic constraints, unusual vertical circulation or a dispute about an exception. Confirm the applicable ADA provisions and local requirements with the responsible design professional, building official or accessibility specialist. The federal standards and DOJ guidance explain the framework; they do not determine every fact-specific answer for an individual building.
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Technical checks for each route segment
Width: use 36 inches as a prompt, not a complete test
The DOJ Title II primer describes an accessible route as at least three feet wide. DOJ’s Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal separately asks whether the route is at least 36 inches wide. Treat 3 feet or 36 inches as a field-planning reference tied to those DOJ materials, not as proof that the route complies with every applicable requirement. Measure the usable path, note doors, furniture and other pinch points, and verify the controlling provision for the building and work being evaluated.
Walking surfaces and slope
Inspect whether the surface is stable, firm and slip resistant. The DOJ barrier-removal checklist also asks whether protruding objects can be detected by a person with a visual disability using a cane. Check the full walking line, including joints, thresholds, grates, drainage areas and temporary mats, rather than measuring only a representative section.
The 2010 Standards indicate a 1:20 running-slope limit for ordinary walking surfaces. Ramps and curb ramps may be steeper, but they have separate technical rules and exceptions. Do not apply 1:20 automatically to a ramp, or assume that a ramp is acceptable because it is shorter. Quote and verify the exact provision that governs the element in question in the Chapter 4 standards text.
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Mark every change in level on the route. Identify whether it is handled by a walking surface, ramp, curb ramp, elevator or platform lift. Check the approach and landing areas as well as the sloped section. A curb ramp that reaches a sidewalk but leaves no usable connection to the entrance does not complete the route, so inspect the segments on both sides of the element.
For each ramp or curb ramp, record its location, direction of travel, connection to the adjoining surface and any edge, landing or drainage condition that affects use. Confirm the applicable technical requirements rather than inferring them from a single slope measurement.
Doors and maneuvering areas
Every doorway on the route is part of the route. Check that a visitor can approach it from the route, operate or receive assistance with it as intended, pass through it and continue to the next segment. Inspect maneuvering space on both sides where relevant, thresholds, hardware, closers, security controls and the effect of a door held open or closed during normal operations.
Record doors that are locked, staffed or on a time schedule. If an alternate entrance is part of the plan, document how visitors are informed and how the entrance remains available during the hours the other public entrances are open.
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Elevators and platform lifts
Where the destination is on another level, identify the elevator or platform lift that forms the vertical link. The route should lead to it from the same general circulation area and continue from the exit to the destination. Inspect the approach, landing, controls, operating status and any intervening door or corridor. If the lift or elevator is unavailable, record the operational response and the effect on each destination rather than simply marking the floor as served.
Objects that intrude into the path
Look above, beside and below eye level for columns, wall-mounted equipment, displays, signs, fire-extinguisher cabinets, low branches and temporary items. The DOJ checklist specifically asks whether protruding objects can be detected by a person with a visual disability using a cane. Measure or otherwise document the intrusion and its location, then remove, relocate or protect the object under the applicable requirements.
Signs and wayfinding
Wayfinding is part of a usable route plan. Show the accessible entrance on site maps and signs, especially when the main entrance is inaccessible. At an inaccessible entrance, direct visitors to the alternate entrance. Inside, identify the route to elevators, lifts and required rooms without sending visitors into staff-only or service areas. Check that signs remain visible when doors, vehicles, temporary barriers or event furniture are in place.
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Use a route-component inspection sheet
A consistent sheet helps a construction or facilities team inspect every segment without skipping a transition.
| Component | Field questions | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival point | Does the route begin at accessible parking, loading, a public sidewalk or a transit stop that serves the building? | Location, approach direction and accessible entrance served. |
| Walking surface | Is the surface stable, firm and slip resistant? Are there level changes, damaged areas or temporary coverings? | Material, condition, slope concern and exact location. |
| Width | Does the usable path meet the 3-foot/36-inch planning prompt at its narrow points? | Measured width and the obstruction causing each pinch point. |
| Doorway | Can the visitor approach, maneuver, pass through and continue? | Door status, hardware, threshold, maneuvering conflict and operating hours. |
| Ramp or curb ramp | Does it connect the adjoining surfaces, and which technical provisions govern it? | Location, slope measurement, landings, edges, drainage and exception questions. |
| Vertical circulation | Does an elevator or platform lift connect the required levels from the general circulation area? | Equipment, approach, controls, operating status and destination connection. |
| Obstruction | Is anything projecting into the path or difficult to detect with a cane? | Object, height or position, visibility and corrective action. |
| Wayfinding | Can a first-time visitor find the accessible entrance and follow the route? | Sign location, wording, visibility and alternate-entrance hours. |
Use the sheet for every arrival-to-destination journey, not just for the shortest or most familiar one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Compare route alternatives by the right criteria
Buildings often have more than one possible line. Choose between alternatives by comparing the whole journey, not by selecting the path with the easiest single construction detail.
| Comparison axis | Question to answer |
|---|---|
| Continuity | Does the alternative connect the relevant arrival point, accessible entrance and every required destination without a break? |
| Relationship to general circulation | Is it in the same area as the route used by the general public, or does it create a remote detour? |
| Interior or exterior location | If the building’s circulation is interior, does the alternative provide the required interior route? |
| Surface and level changes | Which option has fewer problem locations involving slope, ramps, curb ramps, thresholds or damaged surfaces? |
| Doors and vertical circulation | Can visitors reach and operate every doorway, elevator or platform lift on the line? |
| Wayfinding and operations | Can visitors find the route, and will an alternate entrance remain open whenever other public entrances are open? |
These are decision axes for planning and inspection, not an agency-published ranking of route designs. The controlling standards and local rules still govern the final choice.
Example: mapping a public library route
Suppose a library has an accessible parking area at the east side, a passenger loading zone at the front, a bus stop on the west sidewalk, a main entrance with steps and a side entrance at grade, a ground-floor service desk and meeting room, and a children’s area on the lower level.
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- List the east parking, front loading zone and west bus stop as arrival points. Mark the side entrance as the accessible entrance serving the building.
- Draw a route from each arrival point to the side entrance. Inspect the sidewalk connection, curb ramp, exterior surface and the entrance approach.
- Inside, draw the line from the side entrance to the service desk, meeting room and the elevator serving the lower level. Continue from the elevator to the children’s area.
- Compare the side-entrance line with the general circulation path. If visitors using the main entrance pass through the lobby while the accessible route passes through a staff corridor, revise the design or obtain a building-specific determination.
- At the stepped main entrance, install clear directions to the accessible side entrance and keep that entrance open whenever the main entrance is open.
- Walk the complete journeys from all three arrival points, measuring narrow points and recording every door, level change, surface defect, protruding object and sign.
The example demonstrates the method; it does not establish which construction solution the library must use. The actual answer depends on the building’s plans, work history, applicable ADA provisions and local requirements.
Common planning failures and corrective responses
Stopping at the ramp
Failure: The plan shows a ramp at the entrance but omits the parking, sidewalk, doorway, lobby or destination connections.
Response: Restart at every relevant arrival point and draw the route to each required room and element. Inspect every transition, not just the ramp.
Sending people to a remote entrance
Failure: The accessible route runs behind the building or through a service area while the general public uses the principal entrance.
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Treating 36 inches as the entire rule
Failure: A route is marked compliant because one measurement reaches 36 inches.
Response: Use the 3-foot/36-inch figure as the DOJ planning prompt, then inspect narrow points, doors, surfaces, slopes, objects and vertical circulation under the provisions that apply to the building and project.
Applying the 1:20 figure to every sloped element
Failure: The ordinary walking-surface slope limit is applied to a ramp or curb ramp without checking its separate rules.
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Ignoring operations
Failure: The route works on paper but a door is locked, a lift is out of service, furniture blocks the corridor or signs disappear during events.
Response: Record operating hours, access procedures and temporary conditions during the walk. Assign an owner for corrections and recheck the complete route after changes.
When a professional assessment is warranted
Seek qualified help when the route involves structural alterations, multiple floors without a straightforward elevator connection, historic or constrained construction, a government program, a disputed exception or a remediation plan covering many barriers. A professional can coordinate the federal ADA framework with state and local requirements, verify technical measurements and document why a proposed route or alternative applies.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFor a straightforward facility, a documented walk-through is still useful, but describe it accurately: it is a planning and issue-identification record, not a guarantee of legal compliance. The DOJ ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments and the federal standards explain the broader framework that must be applied to the building’s facts.
Final route-plan deliverables
Before construction, opening or a remediation decision, assemble:
- A site and floor plan showing every relevant arrival point, accessible entrance and required destination.
- A continuous route line, including interior or exterior segments and vertical connections.
- A component inspection sheet with measurements, photographs, locations and responsible parties.
- A record of width, surface, slope, level-change, door, elevator or lift, obstruction and signage conditions.
- An alternate-entrance plan with signs and operating hours when the main entrance is inaccessible.
- A list of unresolved questions tied to the applicable ADA provision, project context and local authority.
- A reinspection date or trigger after construction, furniture moves, landscaping, events or equipment changes.
This record gives the construction and facilities teams a practical route to build, inspect and maintain while leaving the final compliance determination to the standards and the authorities or qualified professionals responsible for the project.
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