What is the minimum width for an accessible route?

What is the minimum width for an accessible route?

• A. 36 inches
• B. 30 inches
• C. 42 inches
• D. 48 inches

Answer: (A)

The essential requirement is the unobstructed width of an accessible route. That width must be at least 36 inches (915 mm) to comfortably accommodate a wheelchair or mobility device and to allow safe, straight passage as well as maneuvering around turns or past people and obstacles. This 36-inch minimum is the standard measurement for most of the route, ensuring consistent accessibility throughout the path. Wider widths (like 42 or 48 inches) are permissible, but they are not the minimum. A route that is only 30 inches wide would not meet accessibility requirements because it cannot reliably accommodate a wheelchair. For door openings, there are separate rules (a doorway clear opening of at least 32 inches when the door is open to 90 degrees), but the minimum width for the accessible route itself remains 36 inches.

The essential requirement is the unobstructed width of an accessible route. That width must be at least 36 inches (915 mm) to comfortably accommodate a wheelchair or mobility device and to allow safe, straight passage as well as maneuvering around turns or past people and obstacles. This 36-inch minimum is the standard measurement for most of the route, ensuring consistent accessibility throughout the path.

Wider widths (like 42 or 48 inches) are permissible, but they are not the minimum. A route that is only 30 inches wide would not meet accessibility requirements because it cannot reliably accommodate a wheelchair. For door openings, there are separate rules (a doorway clear opening of at least 32 inches when the door is open to 90 degrees), but the minimum width for the accessible route itself remains 36 inches.