U.S. Department of Defense Adopts New ABA Standards
December 2008
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has adopted new accessibility standards under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), which requires access to federally funded facilities. The standards apply to military and other facilities under DOD’s jurisdiction.
The new standards take effect immediately for projects and leasing actions, though projects before the 2010 fiscal year must comply to the maximum extent feasible. The memorandum details facilities covered by the policy, addresses exclusions and requests for modifications, and provides supplementary information on certain requirements in the standards.
The DOD is the third agency to refresh its ABA standards based on updated guidelines issued by the Access Board. The General Services Administration and the U.S. Postal Service previously adopted similar standards.
The new ABA standards replace the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards and are highly consistent with standards being adopted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for non-federal facilities.
For more information on the DOD standards and other ABA or ADA topics, visit the Access Board’s Web site.
