When discussing backcountry trails, one of the first questions I usually get asked is, “Do our new or existing trails need to be ADA compliant?”

If compliance measures aren’t practical due to terrain, access for equipment is difficult and will impact the environment negatively, or federal laws that protect threatened or endangered species will not allow this level of construction then they often do not need to be compliant. In many cases, backcountry trails meet most, if not all, of these exceptions.

A contractor’s track record of performance on a project in the area of quality is a huge factor in their success. Not only in earning repeat business, but also in attracting new customers. It’s inevitable that a contractor will experience at least some failure in the form of non-conformance items (services or constructed/installed items that do not meet specified requirements). What separates the successful contractor from the rest is their ability to learn from these mistakes as well as calculate the cost of these failures or mistakes.

Many agencies may feel a little overwhelmed when they first look at their aging campgrounds and are told to bring them up to current ADA regulations. You want to maintain the natural character of the campground without turning it into a concrete jungle. After all, the natural environment is why the public has been coming there for years. So, where do you start?

When an owner discusses issues with their contractor, unintentional oral change orders are something to be careful about. Even though the contract probably contains language requiring change orders to go through a formal written process, oral change orders can be a gray area.