Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

Do the “close door” buttons in elevators really work?

2023-03-13 the door close button

“So it seems that the reality of elevator “door close” buttons is rather less dramatic than Radiolab and the NYTimes imply: the “door close” button is perfectly functional, but details of the 1990 ADA mean that most of the time people are pressing it the elevator controller isn’t permitted to close the door due to ADA rules. As far as I can tell, outside of the ADA minimum door time, door close buttons work just fine.

As a frequent traveler, I’ve always wondered about this.

But, I can tell you this, if I’m in the elevator and I see you racing to the elevator while the door is shutting, I may not actually be pressing the “door open” button even if my pantomime says otherwise. : )

Sponsored By MLS Reset