They should then be assured access to those areas where goods and services are made available to the public. Thereafter, if the facility provides restrooms for use by customers or clients, access to those restrooms must be provided. Here, ADA is fairly specific regarding what is considered to be readily achievable. Most of the requirements for accessible restrooms address making the interior of the restroom usable. The path of entrance or exit remains inaccessible due to the lack of a proper approach path, maneuvering clearance or clear width.
Spacious restrooms are a relatively modern phenomenon.
In many older buildings, particularly smaller ones, a minimum, utilitarian amount of space was devoted to restrooms. Consider the problem this can present for a wheelchair bound person. In a typical washroom, the entrance consists of an in-swinging door that can open to 90 degrees before it comes into contact with a wall. By the time the wheelchair user has pushed the door open and achieved the momentum necessary to get over the threshold, the door is closing. Additionally, the individual needs a clear space on the pull side latch edge of the door to approach the door, pull it open and exit before it begins to close.