These are suggestions to guide your initial awareness and planning. Consult the ADA/ABA Accessibility Guidelines and state and local building codes before beginning construction or remodeling projects. Involve members of the congregation or community who have low vision or are blind in planning and implementation. Contact your local service center for blind people as well.

Getting to Church and into the Building

• Include public transportation information (e.g., bus line and stop) on the church website.

• Offer rides to all congregational events, and include persons with low vision in carpools.

• Keep sidewalks level and in good repair to avoid tripping hazards.

• Trim branches over sidewalks to no lower than 80”, and cut back bushes and flowers so they don’t protrude.

• Ensure detectable edges (texture changes such as cement-to-grass) for orientation with a cane.

• Use tactile changes like truncated domes to mark driveways, streets, parking lots, and stairways.

• Place a level, flat, beveled-edge mat in front of entrance doors, extending the door swing width.

• Consider hanging a wind chime near the most accessible entrance (closest to public transit).

• Use high-contrast colors between the door and building walls, with strong lighting near the entrance.

• Mark doorknobs to unsafe areas (boiler rooms, stairwells) with textured tape.

• Add decals or contrasting markings on glass doors at chest and face height.

Entrance and Hallways

• Ensure all obstacles are cane-detectable.

• Objects protruding more than 4” must have barriers (planter, bookshelf, screen).

• Anything below 80” needs a barrier or warning.

• Post trained greeters or guides at all events.

• Provide embossed Braille/tactile building maps or 3D tactile models.

• Have Braille users post Braille labels on directories and room doors.

• Room door signs should be next to the frame, 48–60” off the floor (per ADA).

• Provide raised-number tactile signs in high-contrast colors.

• Use high-contrast colors for doors, frames, knobs, walls, floors, handrails, and switches.

• Keep flooring uniform; avoid large dark squares that may look like holes or steps.

• Keep hallways uncluttered and consistent.

• Ensure good, even lighting without sudden transitions.

• Mark stairway and chancel edges with wide strips of contrasting color and texture.

For more information:

• 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design

• Detectable Warnings Update – US Access Board

• Protruding Objects – US Access Board

Compiled by Deaconess Lynn Swedberg, updated 4/5/24.