It is still 60" but equivalent facilitation allows for ranges of 48"-60" You tell a designer or installer that they have that range and
signs will be all over the place.
I pinched this section of article....
Equivalent facilitation
This term comes into play when space problems or characteristics of the intended
sign's audience limit the effectiveness of normal standards. People who frequent certain buildings may have limited reach or be confined to wheelchairs. The law permits barrier removal in a problem-solving fashion.
Anyone who's attempted to replace an entire
sign system in an older building understands the frustration of not being able to put tactile
signs on doors. Sometimes, adjacent space just doesn't exist. For example, an old hotel may willingly replace
signs, but can't afford to refinish all the doors. Plus, they would argue that their patrons are accustomed to looking for
signs on the doors.
The new ANSI standards and the proposed ADAAG sometimes offer relief. For example, a tactile
sign may be installed on a door that opens inward, has an automatic closer and no hold-open device. Most hotel rooms and apartments pass this test, as do many restroom doors.
Why the turnaround? The ANSI
Sign Task Force realized that, in the above scenario, all its reasons for locating
signs on the latch-side wall were invalid. A door that opened inwardly couldn't possibly hit a reader in the face. Because the door couldn't be propped open, it couldn't hide the
sign. And although locating
signs in the exact same location in every building remains the ideal, it's impractical. Other options might place the
sign too far away to be effective. Placement on the door just seemed logical.
Another location issue involves the 60-inch-on-vertical-center rule, meaning the center of the
sign should be at the 5-foot level. New standards will allow tactile characters to be as low as 48 inches in, for example, nursing homes, independent living centers and elementary schools. The 60-inch rule remains in effect, but now there's a clear standard for equivalent facilitation.