ADA Compliance for Entrance Control: A Specifier's Guide

The rule that governs the design

Clear width is measured at the narrowest point of the passage with the barrier open. It is not the cabinet-to-cabinet dimension; readers, glass, and arm geometry reduce the usable opening. Always design to the clear width, not the nominal lane width.

The two compliant patterns

The practical consequence shapes product selection. A bank of three tripods needs a fourth lane, an ADA swing gate, adding hardware and install cost. A bank of optical speed gates can fold the accessible passage into one wide lane. This is a major reason mid-traffic offices land on optical: once you price in the ADA companion that mechanical lanes require, the cost gap narrows.

Beyond width: force, timing, and egress

Width gets the headline, but three more factors decide whether a lane actually works for a person with a disability:

• Operating force. The accessible passage must open without requiring tight grasping, pinching, or twisting, and with low force. Powered swing gates and optical barriers satisfy this; a heavy manual gate may not.
• Timing. The barrier must stay open long enough for a slower passage. Configure the open-dwell time on the accessible lane for mobility-aid users, not for peak throughput.
• Egress. The accessible route must work in both directions and fail safe. On a fire-alarm signal and on power loss, the accessible lane must free-open like the rest.

Signage and the route

The accessible passage must sit on an accessible route, with no steps, thresholds, or obstructions leading to it, and should be identified so a visitor can find it without asking. Place the accessible lane where the route naturally leads, not tucked at the far end of a bank.

Common inspection failures