How do the concepts of 'new construction' and 'alterations' differ under the ADA standards?

How do the concepts of 'new construction' and 'alterations' differ under the ADA standards?

• A. New construction must be accessible; alterations must remove barriers where feasible and maintain or create access in the altered areas.
• B. New construction and alterations both require only ramps.
• C. New construction must comply with only some accessibility features; alterations ignore accessibility.
• D. Alterations only require signage changes.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that accessibility requirements differ between new construction and alterations. Under the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, new construction must be accessible from the start—the building and its routes, entrances, restrooms, parking, and other features must be designed and built to meet all applicable accessibility criteria. When a building is altered, you don’t have to upgrade every feature everywhere, but you must remove barriers to the maximum extent feasible and ensure the altered portion remains accessible; if the alteration affects the path of travel, an accessible route to the altered area must be provided. Ramps are important, but they’re only part of the overall accessibility picture, and signage changes alone do not satisfy the requirements.

The key idea is that accessibility requirements differ between new construction and alterations. Under the ADA Standards for Accessible Design, new construction must be accessible from the start—the building and its routes, entrances, restrooms, parking, and other features must be designed and built to meet all applicable accessibility criteria. When a building is altered, you don’t have to upgrade every feature everywhere, but you must remove barriers to the maximum extent feasible and ensure the altered portion remains accessible; if the alteration affects the path of travel, an accessible route to the altered area must be provided. Ramps are important, but they’re only part of the overall accessibility picture, and signage changes alone do not satisfy the requirements.