When you own a commercial property designed for businesses or offices, you will need to develop a parking lot. When you design a parking lot, you will need to have an ADA compliant parking lot. The ADA stands for Americans with Disabilities Act. Over 30 years ago a law was passed that requires a parking must be accessible to the disabled and the general population notified of disabled access and parking points. If you need an ADA compliance parking lot, Andersen Asphalt & Striping will share some of the primary elements you must adhere to.
How Many Parking Spaces Do You Need?
An ADA compliant parking lot must have handicap parking spaces designated for the handicapped or disabled. Not only will you need to have designated parking spaces for handicapped drivers, but you must also have a large enough space for a larger van that is often used for handicapped drivers. When designing an ADA compliant parking lot, you must have one handicap parking space to every six regular parking spaces. This is about 2% of handicap parking spaces in total. Depending on the size of your parking lot, you must provide the right amount of handicap parking spaces for your size of parking lot. A handicap parking space must be at least 8 feet wide and 98 inches long. Not only do you need the right size and number of parking spaces, but you must also have them in the right locations.
ADA Compliant & Accessible Parking
There are four major elements that you need to considered when designing an ADA compliant and accessible parking spot. An accessible parking spot must be flat. That means you cannot have a slopping handicap parking spot. Failure to comply can lead to a major fine. The parking spaces must be close to the building or entrance points and they must have a handicap ramp.
ADA Parking Lot Signs & Markings
In between each handicap parking spaces, there must also be hash markings that indicate they are not a parking space. This extra space in between handicap parking space provides extra room for scooters, hove-arounds, and wheel chairs. The handicap parking space most also be marked and typically, you see a big handicap symbol on the parking space. It is important to have all of the needed markings for each space. Along with painted markings on the pavement, you will need proper signage to identify the handicap parking, crossing and more. Slow devices and signs can also help improve safety in your parking lot and for handicapped visitors.
Asphalt Parking Lot & Road Pavement Resurfacing, Replacement & More in Reno, Elko, Henderson, North LV, Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, Las Vegas, NV | State of Nevada
There is a lot to know about ADA compliance laws for parking lots. It is recommended that you have a professional contractor help map out and design your parking lot to ensure you are ADA compliant. Additionally, in the future you should have your parking lot sealcoated which is common maintenance. Make sure you have your markings properly repainted as needed. When the paint begins to fade, do not ignore it. You can be hit with a major fine if your handicapped and other parking lot markings can no longer be seen. For asphalt and striping services, contact Andersen Asphalt & Striping today!
