ADA compliance

I've heard the federal bean counters that hand out fines for noncompliance use a carpenters level. I haven't seen it first hand. I can tell you millions of dollars are spent on pre-design survey and design on sidewalks alone to try and avoid fines. I would use a total station and record the observations for future challenges.

I've heard the federal bean counters that hand out fines for noncompliance use a carpenters level. I haven't seen it first hand. I can tell you millions of dollars are spent on pre-design survey and design on sidewalks alone to try and avoid fines. I would use a total station and record the observations for future challenges.

I've heard the federal bean counters that hand out fines for noncompliance use a carpenters level. I haven't seen it first hand. I can tell you millions of dollars are spent on pre-design survey and design on sidewalks alone to try and avoid fines. I would use a total station and record the observations for future challenges.

I sometimes do these, and I always use a total station. Accurate, and it preserves the data.

linebender, post: 383144, member: 449 wrote: I've heard the federal bean counters that hand out fines for noncompliance use a carpenters level. I haven't seen it first hand. I can tell you millions of dollars are spent on pre-design survey and design on sidewalks alone to try and avoid fines. I would use a total station and record the observations for future challenges.

10-4 on record data/ field notes.

I've heard (as you stated) that checks are done with a 4' level and corrective measures are required/ fines assessed when these things register a 2.1% cross-slope, or above. Tenths of a percent with a carpenter's level seems like misplaced faith but, I was wondering what others are doing for compliance checks.

Shooting on a 4' grid with total station seems excessive but, they are limited areas. I could run a c3d slope analysis and dig into trouble spots that show up. Just typing that seems like more headache than it's worth.

Maybe I'll stumble into some of those flatwork millions.

Bruce Small, post: 383169, member: 1201 wrote: I sometimes do these, and I always use a total station. Accurate, and it preserves the data.

Are you shooting on a 4' grid (trying to match the potential 'carpenter's" check)?

I haven't found any ADA guidance that indicates the specification for slope check interval. No "10' flat metal bar" statement.

Thx.

The M-D Smart level is sorta the standard around here. I haven't done much with ADA stuff but we still run across it from time to time.

https://www.amazon.com/M-D-Building-Products-92325-Carrying/dp/B002QL5RG8

Calibration is explained in the owners manual. It's just a matter of setting it on a solid surface, push a button, turn it 180 put it in the precise same spot, push a button.

Told an engineer once that the existing shoulder was over 6% and would need to be built up when we overlaid it. A few days later he said the existing was 3.5 to 4%. I disagreed and he told me to pick a spot and we would check it. I drove to a spot I knew was over and stopped. The engineer put his smart level down and it read 3.8 . I said "3.8 degrees would be about 6 1/2 percent" The look on his face was priceless when he realized he was on degrees instead of percent.

One thing I object to before anything is built, many of the designs are 2% maximum slope for loading/unloading areas, not 2.0%. Many of the inspectors will reject 2.1%. My argument is, 2% is between 1.5% and 2.5%. 2.0% is much more precise but was not specified.If they are expecting 2.0% max I will talk them into building it at 1.8% instead of 2%.

James