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Egress into Fast Food Pick-up Lane

M

Mech

Registered User
Joined
Oct 30, 2009
Messages
1,037
Location
Eastern PA
2015 IBC

Can a required exit discharge egress into a fast food drive through lane? The exit door would most likely be located before the pickup window. There is insufficient room to widen the lane or provide a protected walkway.

My concern is bumper to bumper cars with insufficient walkway width adjacent to the cars.​

I am thinking the exit location would not allowed based on Section 1028.5 Access to a public way. "The exit discharge shall provide a direct and unobstructed access to a public way."

Thanks
 
Our code recently changed to require a physical barrier or a sign to prevent an exit door from being obstructed. It might be a good idea to advise motorists that the door may open at any time and to not stop in front of it if you don't want a door shaped dent in the side of you vehicle. Actually, it may be in the owner's best interest to do this from a liability standpoint.

The ultimate question is is there a reasonable belief that you can keep that area free from obstruction and allow the door to open.
 
1028.5 Access to a Public Way
The exit discharge shall provide a direct and unobstructed access to a public way.
Exception: Where access to a public way cannot be provided, a safe dispersal area shall be provided where all of the following are met:
1. The area shall be of a size to accommodate not less than 5 square feet (0.46 m2) for each person.
2. The area shall be located on the same lot not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) away from the building requiring egress.
3. The area shall be permanently maintained and identified as a safe dispersal area.
4. The area shall be provided with a safe and unobstructed path of travel from the building.​

I would say that a landing outside the door, ramp/curb cut to driveway, crosswalk across driveway, and path to public way would be acceptable. Crosswalk would be demarcated as typical, but it is the door landing that ensures that the doorway is not blocked (presuming an outward swing door).

The door cannot swing into the drive lane.
 
A restaurant drive-thru lane is an obstruction if there is a car blocking the path. The whole purpose of the drive-thru lane is to be packed with cars. The only reasonable assumption is that at any given time in the future, there will be an obstruction.
 
Thanks for the responses. After speaking with the project manager, I think we have our answer - tell the owner to relocate the existing door to an adjacent wall where we can stripe out a walkway.

steveray said:
My opinion.....You are always going to cross a vehicular way......How do your strip malls egress?
Click to expand...
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In this scenario, it would be like immediately stepping into traffic. There is not room for dispersal along the building wall. If the drive aisle is 8 feet wide, there would be less than 2 feet for a pedestrian walkway.

tmurray said:
The ultimate question is is there a reasonable belief that you can keep that area free from obstruction and allow the door to open.
Click to expand...

No, I cannot guarantee the area would always be free from obstruction. The original idea was to recess the exit door into the building such that it could open without hitting a car. It would look like a typical vestibule, but the typical exterior door would not be installed, just the interior one.
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