The Trouble with Brick

There is a serious debate going on in historic cities like ours about the code compliance of historic paving materials. Elizabeth Padjen addresses the problem in the June issue of Landscape Architecture Magazine. The article says that in historic cities like Boston, brick pavers are under siege. Stating, “ The dominance of the venerable paving material has been challenged by the decidedly more pedestrian concrete and asphalt.”

The commission for the Persons with Disabilities (CPD) does not think that brick pavers are code compliant with the ADA. “Bricks heave, sink, buckle and go missing,” says John Kelly the chair of the CPD. Landscape architects interested in historic preservation have challenged these arguments stating that “the brick sidewalks can meet the intentions of the ADA and can be designed to avoid problems such as vibration.” The article goes into detail about the proper installation of sidewalk paving materials being important. Stephen Sears of the Brick Industry Association (BIA) says, “It’s all about the base, brick is getting a bad rap for an entirely different issue, which is installation.” It is going to become more important for installers to follow proper installation techniques in order to preserve the paving products in historic cities. He bigger question I have is what about the bluestone sidewalks in Charleston. The article does not address other building materials than brick. Is bluestone more ADA compliant than clay brick? How do we ensure that the CPD does not challenge the materials used in the Holy City?