Regulations state that when you construct, repave, restripe or alter your parking lot, you must make sure that you have the minimum number of correctly marked handicapped spaces to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. ADA guidelines also apply to obstacles between the handicapped spaces and the entrance to your building.
Are You Up-To-Date? ADA Design Guidelines and Parking Lot Striping
Number of Handicapped Spaces Required
Regardless of how many handicapped spaces are required, the first handicapped space must meet the requirements for van accessibility and be labeled as such. The number of ADA-compliant spaces required depends on the total number of parking spaces in your lot.
• If your lot contains fewer than 100 total parking spaces, you must have one handicapped space for every 25 parking spaces.
• If your lot has between 101 and 150 spaces, you will need five handicapped spaces.
• If your lot has 151 to 200 total spaces, six must be ADA-compliant.
• If your lot has between 201 and 300 total spaces, you must have seven handicapped spaces.
• If your lot has 301 or more total parking spaces, one out of eight must be ADA-compliant.
Sizes and Placement of Accessible Spaces
Accessible parking spaces must be a minimum of 8 feet in width. All ADA-compliant spaces must include an access aisle with a minimum width of 8 feet for van-accessible spaces or 5 feet for automobile-accessible spaces. The access aisle must run the entire length of the space and cannot intrude into it. Adjacent parking spaces may share an access aisle.
Handicapped spaces must provide access to your building by the shortest, most direct route. Curbs in this path must have a ramp, but the ramp cannot intrude into the access aisle or parking space. If the route crosses a path of vehicular traffic, crosswalks must be clearly marked.
Marking Handicapped Parking Spaces
In all states except New York, the international symbol denoting handicapped access is used. This is the familiar image of a person seated in a wheelchair; the background is dark blue while the wheelchair and its occupant are white. The image may be painted onto the pavement, but a permanently affixed sign must also be installed at the front of the space; the sign must also state “van accessible” for such spaces. The bottom of the signs must be placed so that the entire sign is visible over the hood of the vehicle.
Access aisles must be clearly marked to prevent others from parking over them. The aisles should be marked on both sides of the accessible space. The color of these aisle markings may be specified by local or state law, but the ADA does not require any given color.
For More Information
Alpha Paving Industries has been assisting customers with their asphalt needs for more than 35 years of experience, so we have been helping our clients make their parking lots compliant since the ADA first went into effect. We also provide asphalt paving, sealcoating and repairs as well as parking lot striping and the installation of parking lot signs and car stops for your lot. You can request a free quote by calling us at (512) 677-9001 or submitting our online form.
