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Recreation Trail Motor Vehicle Barrier - Protecting Rural Environments and Providing Access to People Using Mobility Devices

Award Information
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Branch: N/A
Contract: 2006-33610-17271
Agency Tracking Number: 2005-00325
Amount: $296,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2240 Meridian Blvd. Suite C null
Minden, NV 89423
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Peter Axelson
 Director of Research and Development
 (775) 783-8822
 peter@beneficialdesigns.com
Business Contact
 Seanna Kringen
Title: Research Associate
Phone: (831) 685-4798
Email: seanna@beneficialdesigns.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Recreation trails are a key component of the social, economic and health of rural communities. People with mobility impairments are often excluded from trails, shared-use paths, parks and other public areas where barriers are erected to prevent access by motorized trail vehicles (MTVs), to control livestock or wildlife, as an access point in a fenced area, or for a variety of other reasons. Many people who use wheelchairs, hand bikes or other personal mobility devices (PMDs) have been forced to crawl on the ground in order to enter, or cannot enter at all. As a result, vehicle barriers that are currently being used all over the country do not comply with the newest Architectural Barriers Act/Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility for gates. The research goal is to develop a trail barrier that will prevent MTVs from using recreation trails while allowing access by people who use PMDs. During Phase 1 of this research, the size and performance characteristics that distinguish between MTVs and PMDs were identified and used to develop design concepts for barriers that would be accessible to hikers who use PMDs. Phase 2 of this research will further develop and evaluate these trail vehicle barrier design concepts to verify their effectiveness in allowing access for permitted users and restricting access of prohibited trail users. Phase 2 research will also establish the commercial viability and suitability of these trail vehicle barrier designs for use in a wide variety of trail environments and by diverse land management agencies (e.g., Federal, state, local, volunteer).

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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