Are required exits allowed to egress to alleys?

[ADAguy]

Are alleys accessible public ways?

 

[cda]

If it is accessible?




PUBLIC WAY. A street, alley or other parcel of land open to the outside air leading to a street, that has been deeded, dedicated or otherwise permanently appropriated to the public for public use and which has a clear width and height of not less than 10 feet (3048 mm).

 

[steveray]

Like CDA said....Possibly....The rub there might be that if it is an alley, it is probably an existing building and accessible egress is rarely required in an existing building....

705.1 General. A facility that is altered shall comply with the
applicable provisions in Sections 705.1.1 through 705.1.14,
and Chapter 11 of the International Building Code unless it is
technically infeasible. Where compliance with this section is
technically infeasible, the alteration shall provide access to
the maximum extent that is technically feasible.
A facility that is constructed or altered to be accessible
shall be maintained accessible during occupancy.
Exceptions:
1. The altered element or space is not required to be on
an accessible route unless required by Section 705.2.
2. Accessible means of egress required by Chapter 10
of the International Building Code are not required
to be provided in existing facilities.

 

[ADAguy]

Given: 3 story multi-tenant retail building built in 1970. Picture if you will, a rectangle with an interior court yard open to the sky, the long sides of the rectangle are parallel to a street at the front and an alley at the rear. The corners on the street are not connected, allowing for walking into the courtyard. Building has 3 exits, 2 to the street and one to the alley, also a central exit on the street between the 2 corners.
? Owner wants to close the 2 corner exits leaving only the rear/alley and the center/street exits. Building is fully sprinklered. Wouldn't the fire department have an issue with inability to approach the inner courtyard with fire hoses? The rear exit has steps to the alley, not accessible; so wouldn't an area of refuge be required? A alley is public property, then how would barriers to access (cross and running slopes be addressed?)

 

[cda]

Alleys are sometimes private property.

Fd question would have to be to the local fd.

Does not sound good

 

[Paul Sweet]

Might it be considered an egress court, and require 1-hour rated walls flanking it? (IBC 1028.4)

New accessible exits might not be required for an alteration, but I'm not sure that an existing accessible exit (if the corner exits are accessible) can be closed off leaving fewer accessible exits than would be required.

 

[ADAguy]

My thoughts exactly Paul, thank you.
As to it being an egress court, ground floor retail spaces have display windows.

 

[Yikes]

I feel like the "public way" part is a question for the Commercial Building Code forum, not the Accessibility forum.

Once you agree that it is a public way, the question of "accessible" is the same as with any other city street. It's the city's problem, not the private property owner's problem.

 

[ADAguy]

Alleys without sidewalks can be a barrier to access when blocked by delivery vehicles, etc.

 

[Yikes]

Alleys without sidewalks can be a barrier to access when blocked by delivery vehicles, etc.

Yes, just like streets without sidewalks can also be a barrier to access.
But there is nothing in any code that says a public right of way, whether street or alley, must have a dedicated pedestrian-only walkway (aka sidewalk).

As a building or site designer, once you get the building occupants to the public right of way, your responsibility for accessibility is complete.