New Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines, which define how signs are made for the built environment, have been finalized by the U.S. Access Board. These changes, already in effect for some buildings, carry unknown implementation dates for others. This article will outline the latest rule changes and what they’ll mean to sign-industry and environmental graphic designers, specifically regarding accessible interior signs.

Changes to these signs’ requirements have been anticipated and discussed for years. The U.S. Access Board approved its latest design guidelines for ADA and Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) facilities in July 2004. The new guidelines include extensive changes to the technical requirements for interior architectural signs. Although the original ADA sign section was little more than a page of requirements, the very detailed new section spans more than eight pages.

Although “final,” the new guidelines are not enforceable until they are adopted by the various agencies that maintain them (very similarly to the National Electrical Code). The responsible federal agencies are updating their ABA and ADA standards on separate tracks, and their progress to date varies.

Trutwin Custom Signs proudly offers ADA signs to all of the South West Florida region including Naples, Marco Island, Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Sanibel Island and Estero