Pedestrian Facility Accessibility Standards for Public Right-of-Way
Summary
GSA is issuing a final rule amending the Federal Management Regulation (FMR) regarding real property design and construction to adopt the new accessibility guidelines issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board).
Compliance Requirements
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Adopt the accessibility guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way issued by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) in 36 CFR part 1190; Apply accessibility standards to all newly constructed pedestrian facilities and altered portions of existing pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way; Include specific accessibility features in pedestrian facilities: Pedestrian Routes, Alternate Pedestrian Routes, Pedestrian Signals, Crosswalks, On-Street Parking, Transit Stops, Passenger Loading Zones; Conduct accessibility standards comparison review between state/local accessibility requirements and Federal accessibility requirements for applicable projects; Submit written comments to Regulations.gov for FMR Case 2023-102-03; Apply the standard to facilities on public land acquired for or dedicated to transportation purposes, or on other land where there is a legally established right for use by the public for transportation purposes
Deadline: 2024-09-01(60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register (07/03/2024))
Market Impacts
Mandatory adoption of Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in Public Right-of-Way for all federally funded construction and alteration projects, creating consistent standards across all Federal agencies; Increased demand for accessibility consulting services, specialized construction services for pedestrian facilities, and manufacturers of accessibility equipment (audio signals, tactile warning systems, detectable warning pavers); New compliance requirements create barriers to entry for construction firms without accessibility expertise. Federal projects now require specific accessibility standards comparison reviews; Creates market for specialized training programs on Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities. Estimated 200 Federal employees require 5 hours of training annually
Validated Company Impacts
AECOM
AECOM's Americas segment provides architectural and engineering design, construction management, and consulting services to public clients, including governments that use federal funds for pedestrian facility projects. Their expertise in infrastructure consulting directly aligns with the rule's requirements for accessibility standards comparison reviews and specialized design services. The rule's focus on accessibility standards for pedestrian facilities in public right-of-way has minimal alignment with the company's disclosed risk factors. While the company identifies 'Government Contract Regulations' as a regulatory risk, this specific accessibility rule targets infrastructure projects rather than general regulatory compliance concerns, and none of the company's operational or market risks relate to construction standards or accessibility requirements.