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PROWAG: the accessibility guidelines for sidewalks, crossings and curb ramps
PROWAG, the Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines, is the U.S. Access Board’s set of accessibility requirements for the sidewalks, street crossings, curb ramps, pedestrian signals, on-street parking and other parts of the public right-of-way (PROWAG). The Board published it as a final rule on August 8, 2023, at 88 FR 53604 (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604). The point most searchers need: the guidelines become mandatory only where another Federal agency adopts them as a standard (36 CFR part 1190, section 1190.1). Of the adoptions we checked, that has happened for transit stops and for Federal sites covered by the Architectural Barriers Act, and we found none yet for the streets and sidewalks of cities and states under ADA Title II. This guide covers what PROWAG is, who has adopted it, what it applies to, the main figures for the route, the crossing, the parking and the bus stop, and what a city must do about curb ramps when it resurfaces a street.
This guide summarizes the sources it cites; it is not legal advice. The official texts are the reference.
What PROWAG is
The Access Board is the Federal agency that writes accessibility guidelines. It issued PROWAG under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) to address access to sidewalks and streets, crosswalks, curb ramps, pedestrian signals, on-street parking and other components of the public right-of-way, and to shared use paths, which are designed primarily for use by bicyclists and pedestrians (PROWAG). The final rule is titled “Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way”, was published on August 8, 2023 and took effect on September 7, 2023 (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604). The text is codified in the appendix to 36 CFR part 1190 (36 CFR part 1190).
The stated purpose is to ensure that pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way are readily accessible to and usable by pedestrians with disabilities (36 CFR part 1190, R101.1). The guidelines have four chapters: application and administration, scoping, technical requirements and supplemental technical requirements (PROWAG).
A guideline is not yet a rule that a city or a contractor must follow. Section 1190.1 says that when other Federal agencies adopt the guidelines, with or without additions and modifications, as accessibility standards in regulations that implement the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or the ABA, compliance with those standards is mandatory (36 CFR part 1190, section 1190.1). The preamble says the guidelines are meant to be the technical basis for enforceable standards issued by other agencies (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604, preamble).
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 20, 1999 | The Board organizes the Public Rights-of-Way Access Advisory Committee (PROWAG) |
| June 17, 2002 | The Board releases draft guidelines for public comment (PROWAG) |
| July 26, 2011 | The Board issues a notice of proposed rulemaking (PROWAG) |
| February 13, 2013 | The Board issues a supplemental notice to address shared use paths (PROWAG) |
| August 8, 2023 | Final rule published in the Federal Register (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604) |
| July 3, 2024 | GSA adopts PROWAG in its Federal Management Regulation (PROWAG) |
| December 18, 2024 | The Department of Transportation issues its final rule adopting PROWAG for transit stops (PROWAG) |
Between the 2013 notice and the final rule there was a long pause. The preamble says the Board ceased work on the final rule in January 2017, in response to Executive Order 13771, which required agencies to identify two regulations for elimination for every new one proposed, and resumed work in 2021 after Executive Order 13992 rescinded it (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604, preamble).
Who has adopted PROWAG, and when it is enforceable
PROWAG binds only where an agency has made it a standard. Among the adoptions we checked, the Department of Transportation (DOT) made it the standard for transit stops and the General Services Administration (GSA) made it the standard for pedestrian facilities covered by the ABA. We found no Department of Justice (DOJ) rule adopting it: 28 CFR part 35, the DOJ’s Title II regulation, as it stands in the eCFR up to October 29, 2026, has no text about the public right-of-way and no reference to PROWAG (28 CFR part 35).
| Agency | What it adopted | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Access Board | Wrote the guidelines, in 36 CFR part 1190 (36 CFR part 1190) | Not mandatory by itself; mandatory once another agency adopts them as standards (36 CFR part 1190, section 1190.1) |
| Department of Transportation | PROWAG without modification, as the standard for new construction and alterations of transit stops in the public right-of-way (DOT final rule, 89 FR 102800) | Work that commences after January 17, 2025 must comply; work already begun, or with all design approvals received, before that date need not but must still be accessible (49 CFR 37.9, paragraph (b)) |
| General Services Administration | PROWAG, added to GSA’s Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard (41 CFR part 102-76), for new construction and alterations of ABA-covered pedestrian facilities on land acquired for or dedicated to transportation, or where the public has a legal right of use for transportation (GSA final rule, 89 FR 55072) | Effective September 3, 2024 (GSA final rule, 89 FR 55072) |
| Department of Justice | Nothing found for PROWAG in 28 CFR part 35 (28 CFR part 35) | DOT says the provisions outside its transit-stop authority become enforceable once DOJ adopts them as mandatory ADA standards (DOT final rule, 89 FR 102800) |
Three details are easy to miss. First, DOT’s authority covers transit stops, not other parts of the right-of-way: DOT says its authority does not extend to separate elements such as on-street parking spaces, crosswalks or sidewalks, which fall under DOJ’s Title II jurisdiction (DOT final rule, 89 FR 102800). Second, DOT did not finalize standards for passenger loading zones, and encourages entities to follow PROWAG’s loading zone provisions (DOT final rule, 89 FR 102800). Third, DOT announced on February 19, 2025 that it would take no enforcement action until March 20, 2025 against entities that failed to comply (DOT enforcement discretion notice, 90 FR 9846); that date has passed, and we found no later DOT notice on the subject.
We did not check whether the Department of Defense, the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the U.S. Postal Service, which the ABA also covers, have adopted PROWAG, so this table is not a complete list.
None of this means a sidewalk can be inaccessible. In the years without a final standard, courts decided for themselves which technical requirements applied. The preamble lists decisions that applied the requirements for buildings to rights-of-way, and one that concluded neither the PROWAG draft nor the 2010 ADA Standards applied to on-street parking (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604, preamble). The ADA itself requires new and altered facilities to be accessible; see ADA Title II.
What PROWAG applies to: new work, alterations and existing sidewalks
The scoping rules answer the question every city asks: what has to be built to PROWAG, and what does not.
- New construction and altered portions. All newly constructed pedestrian facilities, and altered portions of existing ones, for pedestrian circulation and use in the public right-of-way must comply. Facilities inside vaults, tunnels and other spaces used only by service personnel are excepted (36 CFR part 1190, R201.1).
- Temporary facilities. The requirements apply to temporary and permanent facilities. Where a pedestrian circulation path or transit stop is temporarily closed by construction or maintenance, an alternate pedestrian access route or transit stop must be provided (36 CFR part 1190, R201.2).
- Existing facilities that are not altered. The guidelines do not address them unless they are altered at the discretion of the covered entity. DOJ has authority over existing facilities subject to the program access requirement of Title II, and whether PROWAG applies to them is solely its decision (36 CFR part 1190, R101.4).
- Where it is not technically feasible. In alterations, where existing physical constraints such as terrain, underground structures, adjacent development or drainage make compliance technically infeasible, compliance is required to the maximum extent feasible (36 CFR part 1190, R202.3). An alteration must not decrease the accessibility an existing facility already has (36 CFR part 1190, R202.4).
- Equivalent facilitation. For facilities subject to the ADA, alternative designs, products or technologies that give substantially equivalent or greater accessibility and usability are permitted. For facilities subject to the ABA, equivalent facilitation is not allowed; waivers or modifications are the route instead (36 CFR part 1190, R102.1 and R102.2).
The pedestrian access route: widths, slopes and surfaces
PROWAG’s name for an accessible sidewalk or crossing path is the pedestrian access route: an accessible, continuous and unobstructed path of travel for pedestrians with disabilities within a pedestrian circulation path (36 CFR part 1190, definitions). Its main figures:
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Clear width | 48 inches (1220 mm) minimum, not counting the curb | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.2 |
| Crossing a median or refuge island | 60 inches (1525 mm) minimum | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.2.1 |
| Passing spaces | Where the clear width is under 60 inches (1525 mm): 60 by 60 inches (1525 × 1525 mm), at intervals of 200 feet (61 m) at most | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.3 |
| Grade within highway right-of-way | 1:20 (5.0%) at most; where the adjacent street is steeper, no steeper than the street | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.4.1 |
| Cross slope outside a crosswalk | 1:48 (2.1%) at most | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.5.1 |
| Cross slope inside a crosswalk | 1:48 (2.1%) at most at yield or stop control; 1:20 (5.0%) at most at an uncontrolled approach, a traffic signal or a pedestrian hybrid beacon | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.5.2.1 to R302.5.2.3 |
| Changes in level | Up to 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) may be vertical; 1/4 to 1/2 inch (13 mm) beveled at 1:2 at most; over 1/2 inch up to 6 inches (150 mm), 1:12 (8.3%) at most | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.6.2 |
| Gaps in gratings and joints | No opening that lets a sphere larger than 1/2 inch (13 mm) pass | 36 CFR part 1190, R302.6.3 |
ADA sidewalk requirements has the same figures under the 2010 ADA Standards, and ADA ramp slope covers ramps inside buildings.
Curb ramps, signals and crossings
At the crossing the route meets the curb, the bumps, the signal and the traffic. The figures that matter most:
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Curb ramp running slope | 1:12 (8.3%) at most; a longer ramp may be steeper only where reaching 1:12 would take more than 15 feet (4.6 m) | 36 CFR part 1190, R304.2.1 |
| Curb ramp width | 48 inches (1220 mm) minimum, flares excluded, off shared use paths | 36 CFR part 1190, R304.5.1.1 |
| Landing | 48 by 48 inches (1220 × 1220 mm) at least: at the top of a perpendicular ramp where a change in direction is needed, and at the bottom of a parallel ramp | 36 CFR part 1190, R304.2.5 and R304.3.4 |
| Detectable warnings | Truncated domes with a base diameter of 0.9 to 1.4 inches (23 to 36 mm), centered 1.6 to 2.4 inches (41 to 61 mm) apart, at least 24 inches (610 mm) deep in the direction of travel, in a color that contrasts with the walking surface | 36 CFR part 1190, R305.1.1 to R305.1.4 |
| Signal timing | Crossing time based on a walking speed of 3.5 feet per second (1.1 m/s) or slower; walk interval of 7 seconds minimum | 36 CFR part 1190, R306.2 |
| Push button | 1.5 to 10 feet from the edge of the curb or pavement; tactile arrow aligned with the crosswalk; locator tone of 0.15 seconds or less, repeating at one-second intervals | 36 CFR part 1190, R307.4, R307.8.1 and R307.9 |
| Multi-lane channelized turn lane | The crosswalk needs one or more of: a signal with a pedestrian signal head, a pedestrian hybrid beacon, a pedestrian-actuated rectangular rapid flashing beacon or a raised crossing | 36 CFR part 1190, R306.5 |
| Roundabout path | The street-side edge of the path needs edge detection, and detectable warning surfaces are not used for it | 36 CFR part 1190, R306.4.1 |
Each of these has a guide of its own: ADA curb ramps, truncated domes and accessible pedestrian signals. The signal timing figure is a minimum standard for how the time is calculated, not a promise that every crossing is slow enough; the guidelines allow a faster speed only where a passive detection device adjusts the time to the person’s actual progress (36 CFR part 1190, R306.2).
On-street parking, loading zones and transit stops
These are the elements that the ADA’s building standards never described well, and where PROWAG adds the most. Where on-street parking is metered or designated by signs or pavement markings, accessible spaces are required in the numbers of Table R211 (36 CFR part 1190, R211.1):
| Total metered or designated spaces | Minimum accessible spaces |
|---|---|
| 1 to 25 | 1 (36 CFR part 1190, Table R211) |
| 26 to 50 | 2 |
| 51 to 75 | 3 |
| 76 to 100 | 4 |
| 101 to 150 | 5 |
| 151 to 200 | 6 |
| 201 and over | 4 percent of the total |
Where individual spaces are not marked, each 20 feet (6.1 m) of designated parking counts as one space (36 CFR part 1190, R211.2 and R211.3). Spaces designated exclusively for residential parking, or exclusively for commercial or law enforcement vehicles, are not required to comply and are not counted (36 CFR part 1190, R211.1, exceptions 1 and 2). Dimensions for the accessible space itself:
- Parallel space: 24 feet (7.3 m) long and 13 feet (4.0 m) wide at least, not encroaching on the traveled way (36 CFR part 1190, R310.2.1).
- Perpendicular space: an access aisle 96 inches (2440 mm) wide for the full length of the space (36 CFR part 1190, R310.3.1).
- Angled space: 132 inches (3350 mm) wide, with a 60 inch (1525 mm) access aisle on the passenger side (36 CFR part 1190, R310.4).
- Signs: perpendicular and angled spaces carry the International Symbol of Accessibility at the head of the space, at least 60 inches (1525 mm) above the ground to the bottom of the sign (36 CFR part 1190, R310.5.5).
Two more elements share the street edge:
| Element | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Number of passenger loading zones | Where permanently designated zones other than transit stops are provided: at least one accessible zone in every continuous 100 feet (30 m) of loading zone space, or fraction of it | 36 CFR part 1190, R212.1 |
| Loading zone pull-up space | 96 inches (2440 mm) wide and 20 feet (6.1 m) long at least | 36 CFR part 1190, R311.2 |
| Loading zone access aisle | 60 inches (1525 mm) wide at least, along the full length of the pull-up space | 36 CFR part 1190, R311.3 |
| Transit stop boarding area | 96 inches (2440 mm) long, measured from the curb face, and 60 inches (1525 mm) wide, measured along the street | 36 CFR part 1190, R309.1.1.1 |
| Slope of the boarding area | 1:48 (2.1%) at most, measured perpendicular to the street | 36 CFR part 1190, R309.1.1.2 |
For the number of accessible spaces in a lot and the rules for the 2010 ADA Standards, see accessible parking. For the ride that serves people who cannot use the fixed-route bus, see ADA paratransit.
Resurfacing a street: curb ramps before DOJ adopts PROWAG
While DOJ has not adopted PROWAG, a city’s streets are governed by DOJ’s Title II regulation. It says newly constructed or altered streets, roads and highways must contain curb ramps or other sloped areas at any intersection having curbs or other barriers to entry from a street level pedestrian walkway, and that newly constructed or altered street level pedestrian walkways must have them at intersections to streets (28 CFR part 35, section 35.151(i)). New construction and alterations that began on or after March 15, 2012 follow the 2010 ADA Standards (28 CFR part 35, section 35.151(c)). DOJ and the Federal Highway Administration published questions and answers on what counts as an alteration when a street is resurfaced. They say the answers create no new obligations (DOJ and FHWA technical assistance on resurfacing).
| Situation | What the guidance says |
|---|---|
| The street is milled and then overlaid | It counts as an alteration even if the new surface is no higher than before, because it changes the road surface in a way that affects or could affect the crosswalk (DOJ and FHWA technical assistance on resurfacing, question 2) |
| The resurfacing does not span the full width of the road | If it affects a crosswalk, curb ramps are needed at both ends of that crosswalk; a city should not structure the work to avoid them (DOJ and FHWA technical assistance on resurfacing, question 3) |
| A curb ramp already exists and is old | A ramp built or altered before March 15, 2012 that complies with the 1991 Standards or UFAS does not have to be modified to meet the 2010 Standards; one that did not comply must be brought up to the 2010 Standards with the road work (DOJ and FHWA technical assistance on resurfacing, question 1; 28 CFR part 35, section 35.150(b)(2)(i)) |
| The city does not own the land for the ramp | It should identify this when scoping the project and seek to acquire the right-of-way; if a complaint is filed it will likely need to show reasonable efforts (DOJ and FHWA technical assistance on resurfacing, question 4) |
This is a reading of Federal guidance, not legal advice, and the guidance says it is not a standalone document. The 2013 joint technical assistance it supplements is the document to read next, together with the current text of 28 CFR part 35.
PROWAG on paper, and Braillito Maps at the corner
PROWAG tells a city what a crossing must have. It does not tell a person walking to an appointment whether the corner they need has a ramp, a tactile surface or an audible signal today. Braillito Maps is a free community map that answers ten questions about each place: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible restroom, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment.
Each question is answered yes, no or no data until someone knows. A yes means that someone who went reported it; it is not an assessment of whether a place meets PROWAG or the ADA. The score of a place is the number of yes answers out of ten, always shown with its number, never by color alone. If a place is missing, add it with its answers; if what a place says is wrong, report it. Meet Braillito Maps.
Frequently asked questions
What does PROWAG stand for?
Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines, the name the Access Board uses for its guidelines for pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way, issued under the ADA and the Architectural Barriers Act (PROWAG). The final rule was published at 88 FR 53604 on August 8, 2023 (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604).
Is PROWAG enforceable?
Only where another agency has adopted it as a standard (36 CFR part 1190, section 1190.1). DOT has adopted it for transit stops (49 CFR 37.9, paragraph (b)) and GSA for pedestrian facilities covered by the ABA (GSA final rule, 89 FR 55072). We found no DOJ adoption for the streets and sidewalks of state and local governments (28 CFR part 35).
When did PROWAG take effect?
The Access Board’s rule took effect on September 7, 2023 (PROWAG final rule, 88 FR 53604). The agency adoptions have their own dates: GSA’s rule on September 3, 2024 (GSA final rule, 89 FR 55072) and DOT’s on January 17, 2025 (DOT final rule, 89 FR 102800).
Does PROWAG apply to existing sidewalks?
Not by itself: the guidelines do not address existing pedestrian facilities unless they are altered at the covered entity’s discretion, and DOJ decides whether they apply to existing facilities under the Title II program access requirement (36 CFR part 1190, R101.4). New construction and altered portions must comply (36 CFR part 1190, R201.1).
How wide does an accessible sidewalk have to be under PROWAG?
The continuous clear width of a pedestrian access route is 48 inches (1220 mm) minimum, not counting the curb; where it is under 60 inches (1525 mm), 60 by 60 inch (1525 × 1525 mm) passing spaces are needed at intervals of 200 feet (61 m) at most (36 CFR part 1190, R302.2 and R302.3).
How many accessible on-street parking spaces does PROWAG require?
One for 1 to 25 metered or designated spaces, two for 26 to 50, three for 51 to 75, four for 76 to 100, five for 101 to 150 and six for 151 to 200; for 201 or more, 4 percent of the total (36 CFR part 1190, Table R211).
What walking speed does PROWAG use for pedestrian signals?
Pedestrian signal timing is based on a walking speed of 3.5 feet per second (1.1 m/s) or slower, with a walk interval of at least 7 seconds (36 CFR part 1190, R306.2).
More accessibility guides
- ADA curb ramps: curb ramp slope, counter slope, width, flared sides, the top landing, diagonal ramps, islands and detectable warnings.
- ADA sidewalk requirements: clear width, passing spaces, grade, cross slope, surface, protruding objects and street furniture, on public sidewalks and on site.
- Truncated domes and tactile paving: what the bumps on curb ramps and platform edges mean, and their sizes in the US and the UK.
- Accessible pedestrian signals: how the push button, the locator tone, the walk tick and the vibrating arrow tell blind pedestrians when to cross.
- Americans with Disabilities Act: who counts as having a disability, what each of the five titles covers, who enforces it and what it leaves to other laws.
- ADA Title II: what state and local governments have to make accessible: existing buildings, new construction, streets and curb ramps, parks, programs and the 2024 web rule.
- Accessible parking: ADA parking requirements: how many spaces, how wide, the access aisle and the sign.
- ADA paratransit: who qualifies, the 3/4 mile service area, fares up to twice the bus fare, next-day booking, companions and how to apply.
- All accessibility guides
Sources
Every figure in this guide comes from one of these official texts, which we read on November 2, 2026.
- Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines (PROWAG). U.S. Access Board, final rule published August 8, 2023.
- Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way (final rule, 88 FR 53604). U.S. Access Board, in the Federal Register, published August 8, 2023, effective September 7, 2023; read November 2, 2026.
- 36 CFR Part 1190, Accessibility Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way. U.S. Access Board, in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, source 88 FR 53650 (August 8, 2023), up to date as of October 29, 2026; read November 2, 2026.
- 49 CFR 37.9, Standards for accessible transportation facilities. U.S. Department of Transportation, in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text, up to date as of October 29, 2026; read November 2, 2026.
- Federal Management Regulation; Accessibility Standard for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way (89 FR 55072). U.S. General Services Administration, in the Federal Register, published July 3, 2024, effective September 3, 2024; read November 2, 2026.
- Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services (28 CFR part 35). U.S. Department of Justice, in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current text with its appendices, up to date as of October 29, 2026; read November 2, 2026.
- Transportation for Individuals With Disabilities; Adoption of Accessibility Standards for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way (89 FR 102800). U.S. Department of Transportation, in the Federal Register, published December 18, 2024, effective January 17, 2025; read November 2, 2026.
- Transportation for Individuals With Disabilities; Adoption of Accessibility Standards for Pedestrian Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way, notification of enforcement discretion (90 FR 9846). U.S. Department of Transportation, in the Federal Register, published February 19, 2025; read November 2, 2026.
- Questions and Answers: Supplement to the 2013 DOJ/DOT Joint Technical Assistance on the Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements To Provide Curb Ramps when Streets, Roads, or Highways are Altered through Resurfacing. U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (ADA.gov archive), supplement to the technical assistance of July 8, 2013; read November 2, 2026.
Braillito Maps
Find places with ramps, accessible toilets or tactile paving near you in Braillito Maps
In Braillito Maps, every place answers ten questions: step-free entrance or ramp, wide doorway, accessible restroom, accessible parking, tactile paving, braille signage, braille menu, audible signals, guide dogs welcome and a quiet environment. It is built by the people who need it, and every place gets a score out of ten.
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