Positioning - ramps - LIM - Open Space Landscape Infrastructure Manual

Positioning - ramps

Best practice guidance for the placement and arrangement of embellishments

Ramps for purpose-built applications

Ramps for purpose-built applications are designed to provide equal access to buildings, car park spaces and across roads. Purpose-built applications include kerb ramps, step ramps and threshold ramps.

Inserted kerb ramp

Provides access to dedicated equal access car park spaces or across roads and contains the following elements:

Maximum rise of 190 mm
Maximum length of 1.52 m
Maximum gradient of 1:8
Recessed into a path of travel and a kerb
Can be inserted into the path of travel
Select plain coloured concrete ramp and wings as standard on council controlled roads. A colour treatment may be used when luminance contrast cannot be achieved.

See the following for further guidance:

Figure 5: Typical compliant inserted kerb ramp
Figure 6: Typical plan – inserted kerb ramp at parallel equal access parking
Figure 7: Typical plan – inserted off road kerb ramp at 90° equal access parking
LIM Bollards
LIM Signage.

Note: Tactiles are not required where a kerb ramp is compliant with AS 1428.1:2009 Design for access and mobility – General requirements for access – new building works.

Figure 5: Typical compliant inserted kerb ramp

Figure 6: Typical plan – inserted kerb ramp at parallel equal access parking

Figure 7: Typical plan – inserted off road kerb ramp at 90° equal access parking

Attached kerb ramp

Provides access to dedicated equal access car park spaces or across roads and contains the following elements:

Maximum rise of 190mm
Maximum length of 1.52m
Maximum gradient of 1:8
Attached onto a path of travel and a kerb
Attached onto the path of travel.
Select plain coloured concrete ramp and wings as standard on council controlled roads. A colour treatment may be used when luminance contrast cannot be achieved.

See the following for further guidance:

Figure 8: Typical plan – attached kerb ramp
LIM Bollards.

Figure 8: Typical plan – attached kerb ramp

Note: Tactiles are not required where a kerb ramp is compliant with AS 1428.1:2009 Design for access and mobility – General requirements for access – new building works.

Inserted kerb ramps at a road crossing

Provide access onto a road for pedestrians crossing over to the opposite side of the road. Kerb ramps must contain the following elements:

Maximum rise of 190 mm
Maximum length of 1.52 m
Maximum gradient of 1:8
May be inserted into a path of travel and a kerb.
May be attached onto a path of travel and a kerb.
Ramps are to be aligned parallel to the pedestrian direction of travel. Ramps on both sides of a road shall be aligned with one another and the direction of travel.
Select plain coloured concrete ramp and wings as standard on council controlled roads. A colour treatment may be used when luminance contrast cannot be achieved.
Where a kerb ramp is not directly opposite another kerb ramp, it is non-compliant with AS 1428.1:2009 Design for access and mobility - General requirements for access - new building work.
Where TGSI are required, install at 90° to the path of travel required to cross from one side of the road to the other.
A person who is blind or has low vision may not be able to proceed in a straight line beyond a 3.0 m distance. All additional clues will assist in maintaining the safe direction of travel.

See the following for further guidance:

Figure 9: Typical plan – compliant kerb ramps at a road crossing
Standard Drawing RS-092 Installation of TGSI’s on ramped kerb crossings.
Standard Drawing RS-093 Installation of TGSI’s on ramped kerb crossings application examples.

Note: Tactiles are not required where a kerb ramp is compliant with AS 1428.1:2009 Design for access and mobility – General requirements for access – new building works.

Figure 9: Typical plan – compliant kerb ramps at a road crossing

Threshold ramps

Provide access at a building doorway and contain the following elements:

Maximum rise of 35 mm
Maximum length of 280 mm
Maximum gradient of 1:8
Maximum 20 mm from the door leaf that it serves
Edges of the ramp may be tapered or splayed at a minimum 45° where the ramp does not abut against a wall.

See Figure 10: Typical section – threshold ramp at a door.

Figure 10: Typical section – threshold ramp at a door

Step ramps

Provide access to a building and contain the following elements:

Maximum rise of 190 mm
Maximum length of 1.9 m
Maximum gradient of 1:10
Level landing to the top of the ramp
Level landing to the bottom of the ramp
TGSI to top and bottom of the ramp.

See the following for further guidance:

Figure 11: Typical plan – step ramp at a building
LIM Tactiles.

Figure 11: Typical plan – step ramp at a building

Ramp installation to protect tree roots

One of the advantages of installing ramps, is that they can be elevated over tree root systems reducing potential damage to both the tree and open space infrastructure. The pier footing design reduces the area of direct impact to the tree’s root system, while the elevated design prevents soil disturbance which may indirectly affect tree health. Elevated structures are also less likely to be damaged by tree roots over time.

Existing trees can suffer direct construction injury through loss of structural and feeder roots or indirect construction injury via reduced access of roots to water, oxygen, nutrients and growing space.
Locate new ramps as far from existing trees as possible as the best protection mechanism.

Consult a qualified arborist for specific advice about trees under threat of damage.

See the following for further guidance:

Figure 12: Typical ramped path over tree roots
LIM Site set up (including tree protection)
LIM Tree sensitive design (existing and new trees).

Figure 12: Typical ramped path over tree roots

Clearances – ramps

Table 3: Positioning guidance offsets

Embellishment	Distance from	Minimum distance	Reason
Ramps	New trees	1.2 m horizontal	Future shade pedestrian safety.
Ramps	Existing trees	Horizontal tree protection zone (TPZ) varies	See LIM Site set up (including Tree protection) for further guidance.
Ramps	Clear area to any other embellishment	2.5 m	For deck mower clearance (where possible). Avoid creating small difficult to mow areas.
Ramps	Tree canopy	2.5 m vertical height	Pedestrian/cyclist safety clearance.
Ramps	A perpendicular path of travel	900 mm	To prevent handrail and TGSI protrusion to path of travel.

Disclaimer

Information contained in this document may change without notice and you should use the current material available from Council’s website and not rely on material previously printed or stored by you.

All figures and diagrams are intended to be used as an aid to design and include Council’s preferred elements but they are not intended to be prescriptive and may need to be varied as dictated by site specific factors. While Council has exercised reasonable care in preparing this document, it does not warrant or represent that it is accurate or complete. The Council will not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, cost or expense that you may incur as a result of the use of or reliance upon any material contained in this document.

This document is produced to convey general information and is not intended to constitute advice whether professional or legal. Any reference to legislation in this document is not an interpretation of the law. It is to be used as a guide only. Consult relevant authority websites for current documents, revisions and amendments.

Where a particular product or supplier is profiled in this document, Council is NOT nominating this product or supplier as the selected choice. Product/supplier information has been provided to allow users to source products which contain the correct elements required for Council embellishments. Each product profiled states ‘or equivalent’ which means that different products may be supplied provided they satisfy the identified performance criteria, recommended standards, equal access guidance and product specifications.

Product design, manufacture and installation requires appropriately qualified people to provide site specific solutions to ensure the embellishment is appropriately adapted to local conditions and data.

This document does not override requirements stipulated in a development approval. Project specific variations may be appropriate as a result of site, environmental or other constraints. Any variations to these standards must be approved in writing by council prior to commencement of variation works. Components of this document may be used within a contract document but users should undertake their own investigations to confirm the information is suitable for this purpose.

Drawings contained in this document are NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION.

Details in this document are deemed to be the minimum standard and the user may wish to apply a higher standard subject to approval by council.

Ramps and stairs

Figure 5: Typical compliant inserted kerb ramp

Figure 6: Typical plan – inserted kerb ramp at parallel equal access parking

Figure 7: Typical plan – inserted off road kerb ramp at 90° equal access parking

Figure 8: Typical plan – attached kerb ramp

Figure 9: Typical plan – compliant kerb ramps at a road crossing

Figure 10: Typical section – threshold ramp at a door

Figure 11: Typical plan – step ramp at a building

Figure 12: Typical ramped path over tree roots

Table 3: Positioning guidance offsets