Planning and Developing Trails and Routes - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 207

distances that people must travel to participate. Second, good quality road
signs direct visitors to attraction nodes along the way, to assure drivers that
they are still on the correct path and to provide information. Third, at spe-
cific attractions (e.g. wineries, distilleries, museums, historic sites) certain
design features are also important for the routes' success. Facilities should be
large enough to manage tour groups, in addition to individuals and small
crowds. Each site should have adequate parking with ample room for motor-
coaches to park and turn around. Toilet facilities are essential for route visi-
tors, and facilities (e.g. wine-tasting rooms, shops and reception areas) need
to be tourist-friendly and accessible, including for wheelchair users.
Providing access for people with physical disabilities is a major concern
among public agencies that operate hiking trails, beach access routes and
other linear recreation resources (Malibu Parks, 2006; Nisbett & Hinton,
2005; Trójnara, 1997; Watson, 1982; Wessell, 1997). Many countries have laws
that require agencies and organizations to provide opportunities to partici-
pate for all people who want to participate. This includes people with lim-
ited mobility, hearing and vision. The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) in the US and the 1995 Disabilities Discrimination Act in the UK
prohibit public agencies and private organizations from discriminating
against people with physical disabilities. In most cases, under Titles II and
III of the ADA, this includes the context of tourism and recreation, requiring
buildings constructed after 1992 to be structurally accessible for everyone. It
also requires barriers to be removed from most public buildings and other
public spaces that existed prior to 1992, inasmuch as these compliance
measures can be reasonably achieved to the extent that it will provide the
'greatest degree of accessibility for the widest range of abilities' (Malibu
Parks, 2006: 1). Exceptions to the ADA guidelines from the perspective of
trails include cases:

• where compliance would cause considerable damage to cultural, historic,

religious or significant natural features or characteristics;

• where compliance substantially alters the nature of the setting or the

purpose of the trail;

• where trail work is limited to routine, periodic maintenance, such as ero-

sion control;

• where incorporating accessibility features would require reconstructing

or altering the trail;

• where compliance requires building materials or methods that are illegal; or

• where compliance would not be feasible owing to terrain or prevailing

construction practices. (Kirschbaum et al. , 1999; Malibu Parks, 2006: 8)

There has been considerable debate in recent years about the constraints
to complying with the tenets of the ADA and similar legislation in other
countries. Two of the most common concerns relate to the cost of compliance