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Designing an Accessible Vehicle Barrier for Trails

Phase 1 Begins for Beneficial Designs’ Newest Trail Project

Project Summary

Project Goals

Trail Vehicle Barriers

Devices Used on Trails

Have Your Say! (Survey)

• Permitted Trail Users

• Barriers in Use

• Ideas for Accessible Barriers

• Requirements for Commercial Success

Funding

Project Summary

People with disabilities are often prevented from using trails that prohibit motorized vehicles. Land management agencies are required to provide accessible facilities, but current gate designs that are accessible to personal mobility devices (PMDs), such as wheelchairs, also permit access by small motorized vehicles (e.g., snow machines, motorcycles). As a result, land managers must choose between providing access to people with disabilities and protecting the trail environment from degradation through motorized use. This project will design a trail gate that: prevents motorized vehicle access, allows all non-motorized users and PMDs, and is consistent with accessibility legislation. The results of this project will provide technical benefits through enhanced accessible design capability, economic benefits to rural communities of up to $140,000/year/mile of trail, and social benefits through enhancing the community participation and health of people with disabilities and their families.

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Accessible Trail Vehicle Barrier Project Goals

This research project will develop a trail vehicle barrier that:

• Prevents trail access by motorized vehicles,
• Allows all non-motorized users, including people who use personal mobility devices (PMDs) such as walkers, wheelchairs or power scooters, and
• Is consistent with accessibility legislation.

Phase 1 of the project (May to December 2005) will establish the feasibility of designing an accessible trail vehicle barrier, identify distinguishing characteristics of motorized trail vehicles (MTVs) and personal mobility devices (PMDs), document the performance characteristics of MTVs and PMDs, develop at least three initial design concepts for an accessible trail vehicle barrier, and conduct a market survey of land managers on the commercialization issues related to the new barrier design.

Phase 2 of this research (Fall 2006-2008) will build and evaluate the designs developed during Phase 1. The evaluation process will include assessments of the design suitability for different trail environments, design accessibility to trail users with and without disabilities and the effectiveness of the design in preventing MTV access.

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Have Your Say! (Survey)

Gathering information and feedback from land managers and trail users is crucial to the success of this project. Please help us to develop the best trail vehicle barrier possible by providing us with your thoughts and recommendations. Please use the links below to answer our survey questions.

• Permitted Trail Users

Let us know about the trail users on your trails. Which users are allowed and which are prohibited

• Barriers in Use

Let us know about the trail barriers that you currently have on your trails. What is the barrier make and model, who manufacturers/sells the barrier, describe how the barrier functions, what users is it supposed to allow and prohibit, how successful is it in meeting your needs.

• Ideas for Accessible Barriers

Let us know your ideas for an accessible trail vehicle barrier. Do you know of existing trail vehicle barriers intended to be accessible? Do you have ideas about the type of barrier that might work for your trails?

• Requirements for Commercial Success

Let us know the key features of a commercially successful trail vehicle barrier. What should it be made of, how should it be installed, what maintenance should be required, how long should it be expected to last, how much should it cost to purchase.

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Funding

This work is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) under Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Grant #2005-00325.

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