How can we accommodate baby strollers and bicycles on outdoor staircases?
An important consideration in answering this question is the need to keep the staircase compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA specifications and guidelines can be quite stringent and are enforced as a civil rights issue by the U.S. Department of Justice. Consider the design issues involved in complying with ADA while simultaneously accommodating baby strollers and bicycles. The treads (horizontals) and risers (verticals) of a staircase define its geometry. Typically, the treads of a staircase are 11 to 12 inches deep and the risers are six to seven inches tall. This can result in an effective slope of 50 to 63 percent. The hand railings are typically about 34 inches above the treads, and should be accessible to someone standing on the adjoining tread. In accordance with ADA criteria, a wheelchair-accessible ramp can be as steep as five percent. However, ramps steeper than 5 percent — up to a maximum of 8.33 percent (1:12) — must have flat, 5-foot long plateaus
