Handicap parking maintenance tips for parking lot.
When the Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA was passed in 1990, one of its requirements was for public accommodations to meet specific accessibility standards for people with disabilities. Aside from this federal law, all states were given the right to set their own criteria as long as they are better than the ADA standards.
The laws for handicap parking striping have been around for many years. Yet, some property owners and managers are still confused about the law’s specific requirements. If you are one of them, check out these useful tips about proper parking lot striping for people with disabilities.
Where to find the ADA Parking Requirements:
If you are due for parking lot re-striping, it is best to take out all the guesswork by looking for reliable sources of data about ADA parking lot striping. The best place to visit is the website of the US Access Board. It contains all the information about the ADA requirement for handicap parking spaces, including parking lot striping, the number of spaces needed, the dimensions of each slot, accessible routes, space requirements, and other parking requirements. Alternatively, you could read on to know about the ADA parking requirements.
Number of Parking Spaces Required
To determine the number of accessible parking spaces you need to assign for handicap parking, look at your lot’s layout first and find out how many slots there are in your parking facility. From there, you can check the chart at the US Access Board’s website to find out how many you need.
The general rule is for every parking lot or separate parking space to have at least one slot for handicap parking that is van accessible. For lots that have less than 500 spaces, one out of every six handicap parking spaces must be assigned as a van-accessible space. For lots with over 500 but no more than 1000 spaces, 2% of them must be van accessible spaces. For parking lots with more than 1000 spaces, there must be 20 van accessible spaces plus one slot for every 100 spaces over the first 1000 slots.
The number of handicap parking spaces needed for ADA compliance depends on the total number of parking spaces you have. For more information, you can check the chat at the US Access Board website.
Dimensions for ADA Parking Spaces
Handicap parking spaces must have an access aisle adjacent to the slot itself. The parking slot must be eight feet wide, while the access aisle must be five feet wide.
Handicap Parking Striping: What You Need to Meet Van-Accessible Requirements
To meet the definition of a van-accessible space, it must have an aisle that will allow adjacent access. The perimeter of this access aisle “must be boxed and the inside painted with diagonal stripes,” according to the ADA
The ADA does not assign any particular color of paint to use, but it does require for the color of this paint to contrast with the surface of the parking space.
The purpose of staging a handicap parking space in this manner is to discourage parking in this area for people who are not handicapped. Keep this in mind when you are striping parking lot spaces for people with disabilities.
Handicap Parking Accessibility Requirements
Aside from proper handicap parking striping, you need to consider the accessibility of the parking slot. ADA standards specify that a handicap parking space should have the nearest acceptable route to the building. While this does not mean that the space has to be beside the building itself, it is important that the location of the handicap parking space offers the easiest way to get to the building.
Choose ACPLM for Parking Lot Striping in Tampa
When it comes to parking lot maintenance in Tampa, trust only Asphalt and Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance (ACPLM). We offer a wide range of cost-effective parking lot maintenance services, including handicap parking striping. Call us today at 813-633-0548 for an obligation-free consultation!
