TAS 100%

2012 TAS Chapters 2-4

Lesson 3: Accessible route: ramps, curb ramps, and parking

Turning space, route width and slope, ramps, and how many accessible parking spaces a lot needs · 14 practice questions

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Reading

This lesson starts the technical core of TAS, the actual numbers GCHS checks a building or site against during an evaluation. These come from the 2012 Texas Accessibility Standards themselves, not from a secondary summary, and every dimension below carries its TAS section number so it can be verified directly in the standard.

Turning space, the building block behind every accessible room

Before a route or a room can be called accessible, a wheelchair user has to be able to turn around in it somewhere. TAS Section 304.3 gives two ways to satisfy that: a circular turning space of 60 inches diameter minimum, or a T-shaped turning space, a 60-inch square footprint with arms and stem 36 inches wide minimum, keeping 12 inches of clearance at the end of each arm and 24 inches at the base. This is a building block that shows up again inside toilet rooms (TAS 603.2.1) and anywhere else the standard requires room to turn.

The accessible route: clear width and slope

Section 403.5.1 sets the clear width of a walking surface at 36 inches minimum, with an exception allowing a segment down to 32 inches for a length of 24 inches maximum. Section 403.3 caps the running slope of a walking surface, the slope in the direction of travel, at 1:20, and the cross slope, perpendicular to travel, at 1:48 maximum. TAS defines a ramp as a walking surface with a running slope steeper than 1:20 (106.5.53), so anything steeper is a ramp and Section 405 takes over instead. That threshold matters during an evaluation: a walkway steep enough to need ramp treatment does not get to skip ramp requirements just because a drawing labels it a sidewalk.

Ramps

Section 405.2 caps a new-construction ramp's running slope at 1:12. Section 405.6 limits the rise of any single ramp run to 30 inches maximum, and Section 405.7 requires a landing at the top and bottom of each run. Section 405.8 requires handrails complying with Section 505 on any ramp run with a rise greater than 6 inches. Checking a ramp means checking three numbers at once: does the slope stay at or under 1:12, does any single run stay at or under a 30-inch rise, and are handrails present wherever the rise exceeds 6 inches. In existing sites, buildings, and facilities, Table 405.2 lets a ramp be steeper than 1:12 only where space limitations make that necessary: steeper than 1:12 up to 1:10 with a rise of 6 inches maximum, or steeper than 1:10 up to 1:8 with a rise of 3 inches maximum. A slope steeper than 1:8 is prohibited.

Curb ramps

A curb ramp is the short ramped transition where an accessible route crosses a curb, typically at a street crossing or the edge of a parking area. Section 406.1 sends curb ramps to Section 405.2, so a new-construction curb ramp follows the same 1:12 maximum running slope as any other ramp. Where flared sides are provided, they can be no steeper than 1:10 (406.3), and under 406.5 the curb ramp and its flares cannot project into vehicular traffic lanes, parking spaces, or access aisles. A curb ramp that is too steep, or that projects into a travel lane, breaks the accessible route at exactly the point where it is most exposed to traffic.

How many accessible parking spaces a lot needs

Section 208.2 sets the required number of accessible parking spaces as a table keyed to the total spaces in the lot. For 1 to 25 total spaces, 1 accessible space is required. The count then rises in steps: 26 to 50 requires 2, 51 to 75 requires 3, 76 to 100 requires 4, 101 to 150 requires 5, 151 to 200 requires 6, 201 to 300 requires 7, 301 to 400 requires 8, and 401 to 500 requires 9. For 501 to 1000 total spaces, the requirement switches from the table to a percentage, 2 percent of the total, and at 1001 and over it is 20 plus 1 for each 100 or fraction thereof over 1000. Where a site has more than one separate parking facility, each facility's required count is calculated on its own total, not the combined total across the whole site.

Van-accessible spaces, and space and aisle dimensions

Section 208.2.4 requires at least 1 van-accessible space for every 6 accessible spaces, or fraction of 6, required by Section 208.2, a ratio applied to the accessible space count from the table above, not to the total parking count for the lot. Section 502.2 sets a standard accessible car space at 96 inches wide minimum, paired with an adjacent access aisle under Section 502.3, which is 60 inches wide minimum (502.3.1). A van-accessible space is wider, 132 inches minimum, though the standard allows an exception: a van space can instead be 96 inches wide if it is paired with a 96-inch-wide access aisle, moving the extra width into the aisle instead of the space itself.

The arrival sequence: parking to route to entrance

None of these numbers work in isolation. An accessible parking space has to connect to an accessible route, the 36-inch-wide path described above, without that route relying on a curb ramp that itself exceeds the 1:12 maximum slope. A GCHS evaluation tracing a site is tracing a continuous path: van-accessible space, access aisle, curb ramp or level connection, accessible route, to the building entrance. A single broken link anywhere in that sequence, a curb ramp too steep, a route segment narrower than 36 inches, makes the whole path noncompliant even if every individual element elsewhere on the site is correct on its own.

The accessible route from parking to entrance A sequence diagram: van-accessible parking space (132 inches, or 96 plus a 96-inch aisle), an access aisle, a curb ramp at 1:12 maximum slope, an accessible route 36 inches wide minimum with running slope capped at 1:20 and cross slope at 1:48, connecting to a building entrance. A side panel shows the parking-space-count table keyed to lot size and the 1-in-6 van-space ratio. Van space 132 in., or 96+96 aisle Access aisle 502.3: 60 in. min Curb ramp Max 1:12 slope Accessible route 36 in. min width 1:20 run, 1:48 cross Entrance Lesson 4 Table 208.2: 1-25 spaces → 1 accessible; 26-50 → 2; 51-75 → 3; 76-100 → 4; 501-1000 → 2% of total Van ratio (208.2.4): 1 van-accessible space per 6 accessible spaces Turning space (304.3): 60 in. circle, or T-shape with 36 in. arms
A broken link anywhere in the parking-to-entrance sequence fails the whole path, even when every other element on the site is correct.

Practice questions

1. What two turning-space configurations does TAS Section 304.3 allow?

  1. TAS does not require turning space anywhere in an accessible building or site
  2. A rectangle 60 by 36 inches, or a triangle with 36-inch sides at each corner
  3. A 60-inch diameter circle, or a T-shape with 36-inch-wide arms and stem
  4. Any shape at least 36 inches wide and 60 inches long in the direction of travel

2. What is the minimum clear width of an accessible route under Section 403.5.1?

  1. 48 inches minimum, with no exception for short segments, door openings, or turns
  2. 24 inches, with an exception allowing a short segment down to 18 inches at a doorway
  3. 30 inches, with an exception allowing a short segment down to 24 inches at a door
  4. 36 inches, with a short segment allowed down to 32 inches

3. At what running slope does a walking surface become a ramp instead, requiring Section 405 rather than Section 403?

  1. Above 1:20
  2. Above 1:12
  3. Above 1:48
  4. Slope never determines this; only the label on the drawing matters

4. What is the maximum running slope for a new-construction ramp under Section 405.2?

  1. 1:8
  2. 1:48
  3. 1:20
  4. 1:12

5. What is the maximum rise of any single ramp run under Section 405.6?

  1. There is no rise limit on a single run
  2. 12 inches
  3. 18 inches
  4. 30 inches

6. At what rise does Section 405.8 require handrails on a ramp run?

  1. Handrails are required on every ramp regardless of rise
  2. Handrails are never required by TAS
  3. Greater than 6 inches
  4. Greater than 30 inches

7. What slope rule applies to a curb ramp?

  1. Curb ramps follow their own separate slope standard, unrelated to Section 405 or to the 1:12 figure
  2. In new construction, the same 1:12 maximum running slope as other ramps
  3. Curb ramps have no maximum slope as long as the adjoining sides are flared
  4. 1:48 maximum, the cross-slope figure that also applies to ramp runs

8. Under Table 208.2, how many accessible parking spaces does a lot with 90 total spaces require?

  1. 5
  2. 4
  3. 2
  4. 3

9. For a parking facility with 501 to 1000 total spaces, how is the required accessible-space count determined?

  1. 2 percent of the total space count
  2. The requirement no longer applies above 500 spaces
  3. It stops increasing at 9 spaces regardless of lot size
  4. 1 space per 100 total spaces

10. Under Section 208.2.4, how many van-accessible spaces does a site with 4 required accessible spaces need at minimum?

  1. 4, one van space per accessible space
  2. 2, half of all accessible spaces must be van-accessible
  3. 1, since 4 falls within the first 6 accessible spaces and the ratio is 1 per 6 or fraction of 6
  4. 0, van spaces are only required above 10 accessible spaces

11. What is the width of a standard accessible car space under Section 502.2, and how does a van-accessible space differ?

  1. There is no standard width; each site sets its own based on the number of spaces
  2. Both are 96 inches wide minimum, with the same 60-inch access aisle for each type
  3. Standard is 132 inches; van is 96 inches, always paired with a 60-inch access aisle
  4. Standard is 96 inches minimum; van is 132 inches minimum, or 96 inches with a 96-inch aisle

12. Where a site has two separate parking facilities, how is the required accessible-space count calculated?

  1. Only the larger facility needs any accessible spaces, since the smaller lot is exempt
  2. Each facility's count is calculated on its own total, not the combined total
  3. The combined total across both facilities determines one shared count, placed at either lot
  4. Only new construction facilities require any accessible spaces; existing lots are exempt

13. In a new construction project, a site has a fully compliant van-accessible space and access aisle, but the curb ramp connecting the aisle to the building's accessible route has a 1:8 slope. Is the accessible path compliant?

  1. No; a curb ramp exceeding the 1:12 maximum slope breaks the accessible path even if every other element is correct
  2. Yes, because the parking space itself is compliant
  3. Yes, because curb ramps are exempt from slope requirements
  4. Yes, as long as the building entrance door is compliant

14. What is the maximum cross slope (perpendicular to the direction of travel) allowed on an accessible route under Section 403.3?

  1. There is no cross-slope limit
  2. 1:12
  3. 1:48
  4. 1:20

Glossary

Running slope
The slope of a walking surface in the direction of travel; capped at 1:20 (403.3); a steeper walking surface is a ramp under Section 405.
Cross slope
The slope perpendicular to the direction of travel; capped at 1:48 on an accessible route.
Turning space
A 60-inch circular or T-shaped clear floor area allowing a wheelchair user to turn around; required under Section 304.3.
Curb ramp
A short ramped transition where an accessible route crosses a curb; follows the same 1:12 maximum slope rule as any new-construction ramp (405.2, 406.1).
Van-accessible space
A parking space sized for a van with a wheelchair lift, 132 inches wide minimum or 96 inches paired with a 96-inch aisle.
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