The Wharf: Accessibility Score

Overall, the Wharf is an ADA accredited space located on the water in Washington, DC. It's known for its urban environment, and ability to cater to individuals of all ages. To comply with ADA guidelines, it's expected of the space to have been made with, or altered to contain a series of details including:

• floor stability, cleared floor space, enough space to turn in the grounds, as well as the material being firm and slip resistant.

• protruding objects must be within clearance for those in wheelchairs, with canes, or those with other accommodations can be detected and above 27 inches off the ground in order to account for knee and feet space

• barriers being 80 inches high, such as stairs or arches, in order to accommodate those with all different heights

• Signage must be posted around pointing out where accessible elevators, pathways, ramps, and other accommodations are

  • This can also include signs pointing to bathrooms, exits, and any other mandated needs in the case of every day life, or during extraneous circumstances.

  • braille where there is written instruction, or some kind of translation to those with language barriers.

    
    

    Below, we've decided to score the Wharf and it's accessibility measures.

Our Accessibility Measures:

1. ADA Accommodations.

   1. not only accordance with the Americans with Disabilities but actively maintaining those accommodations throughout the space.

2. Access to other tourist spots.

   1. many different transportation options

   2. not only in an exciting and accessible area but also close to other exciting and accessible areas.

      1. this is especially important due to high tourist traffic at the nation's capital

   3. cost effective means of transportation both to the wharf and to other areas

3. Resting Areas, bathrooms and types of walkways

   1. large walkways, benches, and spots to rest.

   2. ramps where there are stairs, and easily accessible elevators

4. Sustainability Practices.

   1. prioritizing the long term sustainability measures that help the environment.

   2. keeping these up to status and updating the information on these measures.

5. Community Activities/Events.

   1. community gathering events are important to create a sense of camaraderie and like-minded spaces.

   2. keeping events updated as well as ensuring anyone in the community can take part in these, accounting for the weather, ways to get there, and supplies needed for events.

6. Mobility Accessible Activities as well as activities for loved ones.

   1. a reason to attend the wharf and spend time in the space.

      1. includes restaurants, boat tours, concerts, and other activities which provide entertainment for all members of the wharf's audience.

Each Measure is given a score out of 5 . The highest possible score is a 30/30.

The Wharf's outdoor accessibility score... 27/30

1. ADA Accommodations: 5

   1. ADA certified space

   2. maintained accommodations, and up to date information surrounding them.

2. Access to other tourist spots: 5

   1. 0.25 miles from the Washington monument, however it's difficult to find the best route to access the Wharf.

   2. 4 options: subway, bus/bike share, personal car, or boat.

      1. Subway: get off at L'Enfant Plaza, it's an 11 minute walk, or 0.5 miles. the subway costs anywhere from $2-$6 each way, depending on the time of day and day of the week (off peak/on peak), as well as the amount of stops traveled.

         1. there is a free shuttle from the plaza to the wharf, that operates on a cycle between the wharf, national mall and the plaza.

         2. the schedule of this shuttle depends on the day, however it operates every day from

            1. Monday-Thursday: 6:30am - 8:30pm

            2. Friday : 6:30am-10:30pm

            3. Saturday: 9:30am-10:30pm

            4. Sunday: 9:30am-8:30pm

      2. if you decide to walk it's a very difficult route to figure out, google maps takes you across the highway and down multiple flights of stairs.

      3. Bus and bike share: also operates on a schedule which depends on the day, may be delays and other wait times depending on the metro bus and its route. There is also a bike share, which is both a sustainable and community building way of getting around D.C.!

      4. Car: taking a personal car it can be difficult to find parking. However, they have many spots down in the underground parking garages.

         1. these garages have elevators that are compliant with ADA standards (large, low monitors, all operated from an outside technology source).

         2. It's very expensive to park your own car, at an average of around $12 an hour.

         3. based on personal experience, the machines to pay at the top of the parking garages tend to malfunction, and it's difficult to find help from any management. the parking garage will not let you out without a valid ticket, and if the machine eats your ticket it can be a difficult process to resolve if alone

         4. Boat- there is free docking at the Wharf's docks for the day. They have many other methods of on-water transportation, including water taxis and boat tours.

3. Resting Areas, bathrooms and types of walkways: 4

   1. many benches, especially along the recreation pier and main walkways.

   2. there are additionally many restaurants around that have outdoor seating, or indoor if the party chooses to sit down for a meal.

   3. as for bathrooms there are many public bathrooms in the various numbers of hotels, restaurants, cafes, and merchandise locations.

      1. all bathrooms seen were on the ground floor, and accessible by ramp. they were large, clean, and handicap accessible.

   4. different types of pathways depending on which part of the wharf being explored. there were paved roads, boarded walkways, and stone paths.

      1. all were sturdy and firm, and felt even to walk across.

4. Sustainability Practices: 4

   1. for a newly built spot in D.C., there were many sustainability practices to foster green growth of spaces.

      1. for example, the rainwater catcher that intends to recycle rainwater for use of plants, purifying it as well.

      2. recycle bins and specifically marked trash cans are available to sort recyclable products, aluminum, and other trash.

5. Community Activities/Events: 5

   1. a series of community activities are on the calendar which include boat parades, festivals, and community gathering events such as yoga on the waterfront

   2. the Anthem theatre always has shows on their calendar for individuals of all ages, as well as hosting podcast tours and meet and greets.

6. Mobility Accessible Activities as well as activities for loved ones: 4

   1. the Anthem welcomes artists of all ages, races, ethnicities, styles, and talk shows for individuals of all interest and ages

   2. the merchandise stores around appeal to a series of groups, advocating for every potential guest of the wharf

   3. there are many restaurants, all unique in cuisine, originality, and price points.