ACCESSIBILITY LAW (BP 344)
ALONG NATIONAL ROADS
In order to ensure the proper and uniform implementation of accessibility
features for use of persons with disabilities along national roads pursuant to Batas
Pambansa Big. 344, otherwise known as the Accessibility Law, and its Implementing
Rules and Regulations (as amended), all implementing offices of the Department of Public Works and Highways
(DPWH) shall adopt the attached standard drawings containing the following minimum
requirements for accessibility:
a. Figure 1 Dropped Curbs
b. Figure 2 Curb Cut-outs
c. Figure 3 Walkways, Handrails and Open Spaces
d. Figure 4 Signages
e. Figure 5 Crossings
1.1 CHANGES IN LEVEL AT SIDEWALKS SHOULD BE EFFECTED BY SLIGHT RAMPS AND
DROPPED CURBS;
1.2 DROPPED CURBS SHOULD BE PROVIDED AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AND AT THE
END OF FOOTPATHS OF A PRIVATE STREET OR ACCESS ROAD; NO DROPPED CURBS
SHALL BE PROVIDED AT CORNERS OF SIDEWALK.
1.3 DROPPED CURBS AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS SHOULD HAVE A LENGTH
CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH OFTHE CROSSING IF THE SIDEWALK WIDTH
IS LESS THAN 3.50m. OTHERWISE, THE MINIMUM WIDTH SHOULD BE 0.90m ..
1.4 DROPPED CURBS SHALL BE RAMPED TOWARDS ADJOINING CURBS WITH A GRADIENT NOT MORE
THAN 1:12;
1.5 DROPPED CURBS SHALL BE SLOPED TOWARDS THE ROAD WITH A MAXIMUM CROSS'
GRADIENT OF 1:20 TO PREVENT WATER FROM COLLECTING AT THE SIDEWALK;
1.6 THE LOWEST POINT OF THE DROPPED CURB SHOULD NOT EXCEED 25 mm HEIGHT
ABOVE THE ROAD GUTTER;
Minimum Requirements:
2.1 CURB CUT-OUTS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED WHEN IT WILL NOT OBSTRUCT A
SIDEWALK OR IN ANY WAY LESSEN THE WIDTH OF A SIDEWALK OR IF THE
SIDEWALK WIDTH IS LESS THAN 3.50m. NO CURB CUT-OUTS SHALL BE
PROVIDED AT CORNERS OF SIDEWALKS.
2.2 THE MINIMUM WIDTH OF A CURB CUT-OUT SHOULD BE 0.90 m.;
2.3 CURB CUT-OUTS SHOULD NOT HAVE A GRADIENT NOT MORE THAN 1:12;
3.8 TO GUIDE THE BLIND, SIDEWALKS SHOULD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOLLOW
STRAIGHT FORWARD ROUTES WITH RIGHT ANGLE TURNS;
3.9 TO GUIDE THE BLIND, SIDEWALKS SHOULD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOLLOW
STRAIGHT FORWARD ROUTES WITH RIGHT ANGLE TURNS;
3.10 SIDEWALK HEADROOM SHOULD BE LESS THAN 2.00m. AND SHOULD PREFERABLY
BE HIGHER;
3.11 PASSAGEWAYS FOR THE DISABLED SHOULD NOT BE OBSTRUCTED BY STREET
FURNITURE, BOLLARDS, SIGN POSTS OR COLUMNS ALONG THE DEFINED ROUTE, AS
THEY CAN BE HAZARDOUS;
Minimum Requirements
3.12 HANDRAILS SHOULD BE INSTALLED AT BOTH SIDES OF RAMPS AND STAIRS AND AT THE OUTER
EDGES OF DROPPED CURBS AT CROSSINGS; HANDRAILS SHOULD NOT BE INSTALLED BEYOND THE
WIDTH OF ANY CROSSING SO AS NOT TO OBSTRUCT
PEDESTRIAN FLOW;
3.13 HANDRAILS SHALL BE INSTALLED AT O:90m AND O.lOm ABOVE STEPS OR RAMPS;
HANDRAILS FOR PROTECTION AT GREAT HEIGHTS MAY BE INSTALLED AT 1.00m TO
1.06m;
3.14 .30m LONG EXTENSION OF THE HANDRAIL SHOULD BE PROVIDED AT THE START
AND END OF RAMPS AND STAIRS;
3.15 HANDRAILS THAT REQUIRE FULL GRIP SHOULD HAVE A DIMENSION OF 30mm TO 50mm;
3.16 HANDR.AILS ATTACHED TO WALLS SHOULD HAVE A CLEARANCE NO LESS THAN 50mm FROM THE
WALL; HANDRAILS ON LEDGES SHOULD HAVE A CLEARANCE NOT LESS THAN 40mm;
Minimum Requirements
3.17 WHERE OPEN SPACES ARE PROVIDED ADJACENT TO WALKWAY, THE BLIND CAN BECOME
PARTICULARLY DISORIENTED. THEREFORE, IT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL IF ANY SIDEWALK OR PATHS CAN
BE GIVEN DEFINED EDGES EITHER BY THE USE OF PLANTERS WITH DWARF WALLS, OR A GRASS VERGE,
OR SIMILAR, WHICH PROVIDES A TEXTURE DIFFERENT FROM THE PATH.
4.6 SIGNAGES LABELING PUBLIC
ROOMS AND PLACES SHOULD HAVE RAISED
SYMBOLS, LETTERS OR NUMBERS WITH A MINIMUM HEIGHT OF 1mm; BRAILLE
SYMBOLS SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN SIGNS INDICATING PUBLIC PLACES AND
SAFETY ROUTES;
4.7 TEXT ON SIGNBOARDS SHALL BE OF A DIMENSION THAT PEOPLE WITH LESS
THAN NORMAL VISUAL ACUITY CAN READ AT A CERTAIN DISTANCE.
Minimum Requirements
5.1 IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE EXPOSURE TIME TO VEHICULAR TRAFFIC, ALL AT GRADE
CROSSING SHOULD:
5.1.1 BE AS PERPENDICULAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE CARRIAGEWAY;
5.1.2 BE LOCATED AT THE NARROWEST, MOST CONVENIENT PART OF THE
CARRIAGEWAY;
5.1.3 HAVE CENTRAL REFUGES OF AT LEAST 1.50m IN DEPTH AND PREFERABLY
2.00m, PROVIDED AS A MID-CROSSING SHELTER, WHERE THE WIDTH OF
CARRIAGEWAY TO BE CROSSED EXCEEDS 10.00m;
5.2 ALL CROSSINGS SHOULD BE LOCATED CLOSE IF NOT CONTIGUOUS WITH THE NORMAL PEDESTRIAN
DESIRE LINE;
5.3 PROVIDE TACTILE BLOCKS IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE CROSSING AS AN AID TO THE BLIND;
THE TACTILE SURFACE SHOULD BE HIGH ENOUGH TO BE FELT BY THE SOLE OF THE SHOE BUT LOW
ENOUGH SO AS NOT TO CAUSE PEDESTRIANS TO TRIP OR TO AFFECT THE MOBILITY OF WHEELCHAIR
USERS;
NOTE: TACTILE STRIPS FORMED FROM BRUSHED OR GROOVED CONCRETE HAVE NOT
PROVED SUCCESSFUL AS THEY DO NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT DISTINCTION
FROM THE NORMAL FOOTWAY SURFACE AND THEREFORE SHOULD NOT BE USED;
5.4 LIGHT CONTROLLED CROSSINGS WITH PEDESTRIAN PHASES AND AUDIBLE SIGNALS
ARE MOST BENEFICIAL TO THE DISABLED; THEY SHOULD BE PROVIDED WHEREVER
POSSIBLE;
5.5 THE AUDIBLE SIGNALS USED FOR CROSSINGS SHOULD BE DISTINGUISHABLE
FROM OTHER SOUNDS IN THE ENVIRONMENT TO PREVENT CONFUSION TO THE BLIND;
A PROLONGED SOUND COULD SERVE AS WARNING SIGNAL THAT THE CROSSING TIME
IS ABOUT TO END;
5.6 SUFFICIENT TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED FOR THE SLOWER PERSONS NEGOTIATING
A CROSSING; A WALKING SPEED OF 0.90m/sec RATHER THAN 1.20m/sec
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED; A MINIMUM CROSSING PERIOD OF 6.0 SECONDS OR THE
CROSSING DISTANCE TIMES THE CROSSING SPEED (0.90m/sec), WHICHEVER IS
GREATER.
